FERNWOOD FITNESS - PULSE eMagazine - Issue#11 - Flipbook - Page 59
WHAT IS COERCIVE CONTROL?
Coercive control does not describe any single form of abuse, but instead includes behaviours such
as physical, sexual, psychological, emo琀椀onal or 昀椀nancial abuse and in琀椀mida琀椀on. It can be a precursor
to in琀椀mate partner homicide.
Anyone can experience coercive control and it can o昀琀en be hard to know when you’re a vic琀椀m due
to the fact the perpetrator is o昀琀en highly manipula琀椀ve. Likewise, the perpetrator will hide their
ac琀椀ons from outsiders and o昀琀en a琀琀empt to distance the vic琀椀m’s friends and family members.
There are, however,
some signs to look
out for:
1. Monitoring
Abusers will o昀琀en try to be omnipresent. They can
do this by inser琀椀ng cameras or recording devices
in the vic琀椀m’s home, racking their phone, car or
handbag, or some琀椀mes using two-way surveillance
to speak to the vic琀椀m you at home during the day.
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3. Denying freedom
2. Isolation
A controlling partner will try and cut the vic琀椀m
o昀昀 from friends and family preven琀椀ng help and
support they need. They might achieve this by:
• Moving the vic琀椀m far away from their
family so that it’s hard to visit them.
• Fabrica琀椀ng lies about the vic琀椀m to their
support network.
• Monitoring pwhone calls with family and
friends and removing access if anyone tries
to intervene
• Convincing the vic琀椀m that their friends
and/ or family is against them and don’t
want to talk to them.
To try and maintain their
control, a perpetrator
might try and control
the vic琀椀m’s freedom
of movement and
independence. They can
do this by:
• Not allowing them to
go to work or school.
• Restric琀椀ng access to
transporta琀椀on (the
abuser will usually drive).
• Stalking the vic琀椀m’s
every move when out
of the home.
• Taking the phone and
changing the password
so the vic琀椀m has to ask
to gain access to it.