Coercive control is where a partner almost spins a web around you where it’s hard to get out, where you are living in fear and feel you can no longer trust your own instincts.
Coercive control is a pattern of behaviours that may include threats, humiliation, intimidation, assaults or any other type of abuse used to frighten or punish a victim. The result of coercive behaviour is that a person no longer has any sense of independence, is isolated from friends and where their every day is controlled by the abuser.
Common examples of coercive behaviour are:
- Monitoring your social media, this might even be through spyware.
- Monitoring your movements and how you spend your time, again, this often is done with Apps on phones.
- Isolating you from friends; often saying they’re no good for you or don’t care about you.
- Controlling your finances or getting you into debt.
- Denying your rights such as not allowing you to go to college or work restrict access to going outside, depriving you of access to support services or medical services like your GP.
- Depriving you of your basic needs like food, and water.
- Degrading and humiliating you repeatedly.
- Controlling what you wear, and where you are allowed to go.
- Controlling what you do sexually within the relationship.
If you feel you are affected by any of the above, do seek support! You are not alone and we are here to help, click here to get in touch.