“He Could Scare Me Without Laying a Hand on Me”: Mothers’ Experiences of Nonviolent Coercive Control During Marriage and After Separation

Coercive control likely has more severe mental health implications than situational psychological IPV or physical IPV not embedded in coercive control.

“Importantly, coercive control is both highly prevalent, occurring in up to 58% of IPV relationships, and a particularly insidious form of IPV that likely has more severe mental health implications than situational psychological IPV, or even physical IPV that is not embedded in the context of coercive control (Crossman et al., 2016; Kennedy et al., 2018; Stark, 2007).”

Coercive control is highly prevalent, occurring in up to 58% of IPV relationships.

“Importantly, coercive control is both highly prevalent, occurring in up to 58% of IPV relationships, and a particularly insidious form of IPV that likely has more severe mental health implications than situational psychological IPV, or even physical IPV that is not embedded in the context of coercive control (Crossman et al., 2016; Kennedy et al., 2018; Stark, 2007).”

In Crossman et al.'s qualitative study, the majority of the eight separated women experienced coercive control tactics that included personal threats during child visitation, often the only contact between the ex-partners.

“Similarly, Crossman et al. (2016) reported that the majority of the eight separated women in their qualitative study experienced coercive control tactics that included personal threats during child visitation, often the only contact between the ex-partners.”

Although abuse with respect to custody issues after separation from an abusive partner has been widely studied, relatively little research has examined post-separation abuse beyond child custody, and these have mostly consisted of qualitative studies with relatively small sample sizes.

“In summary, although abuse with respect to custody issues after separation from an abusive partner has been widely studied, relatively little research has examined post-separation abuse beyond child custody, and these have mostly consisted of qualitative studies with relatively small sample sizes (i.e. Crossman et al., 2016; Krigel & Benjamin, 2021; Miller & Smolter, 2011; Rivera et al., 2018; Toe”

The coercive control tactics used against women by their ex-partners in both the quantitative and qualitative analyses in the current study are consistent with the previously published, largely qualitative research on this topic.

“The coercive control tactics used against women by their ex-partners in both the quantitative and qualitative analyses in the current study are consistent with the previously published, largely qualitative research on this topic (Broughton & Ford-Gilboe, 2017; Crossman et al., 2016; Douglas, 2018; Hardesty & Ganong, 2006; Hayes, 2012; Krigel & Benjamin, 2021; Sharp-Jeffs et al., 2018; Toews & Berm”

Intimidation manifests as psychological abuse and includes tactics such as damaging property, gaslighting and non-verbal threats such as hostile gun displays.

“Intimidation manifests as psychological abuse and includes tactics such as damaging property, gaslighting and non-verbal threats such as hostile gun displays (Brownridge, 2006; Brownridge et al., 2008; Crossman et al., 2016; Hardesty & Ganong, 2006; Miller & Smolter, 2011; Stark & Hester, 2019).”

The study of IPV has faced persistent definitional and measurement dilemmas.

“The study of IPV has faced persistent definitional and measurement dilemmas (Crossman et al., 2016), and no measurement tool exists that measures the complexity of long-term, ongoing abuse experiences following separation from an abusive partner and co-parent (Cleak et al., 2018).”

Controlling and threatening, but non-physically violent, behaviours have rarely been viewed as violence by policymakers, law enforcement, and the legal system.

“Controlling and threatening, but non-physically violent, behaviours have rarely been viewed as violence by policymakers, law enforcement and the legal system (Crossman et al., 2016; Stark & Hester, 2019).”