Coercive Control

What is Coercive Control?

Coercive control is a pattern of abusive behavior that is intended to control another individual by eroding their self-esteem, self-worth, and autonomy.

It's extremely dangerous because of its insidious nature, the damage it causes and the fact that it is often a pre-cursor to physical violence.

Not only is coercive control dangerous but it is also difficult for many to detect making it difficult for victims to obtain support and protection.

Often people wonder why the victim doesn’t just leave the situation or didn’t leave at the first sign of abuse.

The problem is that coercive abuse is so covert and insidious that many victims don’t recognize they are being abused or they recognize it too late

If you put a frog

in a pot of boiling water,

it's reflexes will kick in &

will immediately jump out of the water.

BUT if you

put him in room temperature water

gradually turn up the heat,

the frog will remain in the water

until it boils to death.

Standing up to the abuser, fighting back, resisting does not make the abuse stop...it can make the situation worse.

The victim can end up suffering serious and dangerous consequences.

Compliance can be the only thing keeping a victim alive.

We need to stop asking victims "why did you stay?" and

start asking abusers "why do you abuse?"

Law enforcement, Courts, Lawyers, Parent Coordinators, Mediators/Arbitrators, Child Protective Services, Psychologists, Social Workers & anyone else working with victims and families need to be Trauma & Coercive Control Informed in order to comprehensively protect and support victims.

Coercive Control is ABUSE

& needs to be regarded as such.

Signs You May Be a Victim of
Coercive Control

- You feel you can't do anything right

- You're walking on eggshells all the time

- You're blamed for everything

- You're never in control of anything

- You feel you're losing your mind

- You feel you'll never escape

- You're always exhausted

- You're an 'emotional punching bag'

- You have to justify everything you say & do

- Your feelings are minimized

The abuse is NOT a result of anything you've said or done.

You are NOT responsible for fixing it!

YOU are NOT responsible for:

Making other people happy.

Catering to other people's needs.

Managing other people's triggers.

Telling people what they want to hear.

Trying to keep the peace.

YOU ARE responsible for:

Making YOURSELF happy.

Catering to YOUR needs.

Managing YOUR triggers.

Speaking YOUR truth.

Keeping YOUR peace.

Types of Coercive Control
(not an exhaustive list)

Financial Abuse

Withdrawing funds from joint bank accounts, leaving you with no means to pay for food, clothing, or housing.

Incurring debt without your permission and knowledge, which you will be jointly responsible for.

Preventing access to your financial documents.

Legal Abuse

Refusing to follow court orders.

Threating court applications.

Failing to cooperate with dispute resolution (ie. mediation)

Doing everything possible to increase your legal fees.

Weaponizing the Kids

Withdrawing love/attention from your children when they show interest in you.

Interfering with your communication with the children.

Blocking your calls

Telling your children you haven't called.

Buying your child a cell phone & not giving you the number.

Preventing the children from talking about you.

Conveying to the children you aren't a safe parent.

“Call me anytime you don’t feel safe. I will come get you.”

"You sure you feel comfortable staying here?”

Throwing out gifts from you.

Buying bigger, better, more expensive versions of your gifts.

Allowing children to choose whether to visit you or not. Asking children where they want to live.

You're old enough to decide where you want to live"

Asking child to spy on you & keep secrets from you.

Referring to you by your 1st name when speaking to the children.

Confiding in the child as if they are an adult.

Sharing personal & inappropriate info about you.

Sharing info about legal proceedings with child.

Allowing child to 'overhear' same info.

Threats & Intimidation

Threatening physical violence against you, children, your family, friends, or pets.

Threatening to publicly humiliate you by posting sexually explicit images or personal data online.

Threatening self-harm unless you stay in the relationship.

Threatening to destroy your belongings, particularly ones of sentimental value.

It's much easier to protect a child

than it is to fix a broken adult.

Coercive Control is Recognized by Canada's Divorce Act

Under the new Divorce Act, the definition of family violence now includes patterns of coercive or controlling behaviors & any behavior that makes a member of the family fear for their or someone else’s safety.

This change in the law is a critical step in protecting children.

Research indicates that children suffer even when they do not experience the abuse directly.

Just knowing that one of their parents or siblings is being abused has devastating effects for the child.

These effects can alter their brain development, social development, and physical and mental health...these effects are often long term.

The Courts must now consider the presence of family violence and the impact it has on children, when making decisions about parenting arrangements.