Define coercive control and give two examples relevant to abuse cases.

Define coercive control and give two examples relevant to abuse cases.

• A. A pattern of domination to restrict autonomy (economic control, isolation, surveillance).
• B. A pattern of random acts of aggression.
• C. Only physical violence.
• D. Mutual consent to control finances.

Answer: (A)

Coercive control is a pattern of domination aimed at restricting a person’s autonomy and freedom, sustained over time rather than a one-off incident. It shapes what a person can do, who they can see, and how they live, creating fear and dependence rather than safety and equality. In abuse cases, two concrete examples illustrate how this works. Economic control involves managing or withholding money, monitoring spending, or restricting a survivor’s ability to work or access financial resources. By controlling finances, the perpetrator limits choices and makes leaving or seeking help extremely difficult, tying survival to the abuser’s terms. Isolation is another common tactic, where the survivor’s contact with friends, family, and support networks is restricted. This can involve limiting who they can see, dictating where they go, or relocating to cut off familiar sources of support, which reinforces dependence and reduces safe alternatives. These patterns show why coercive control is about ongoing power dynamics rather than isolated acts. The other options describe different concepts or narrow the issue to physical violence or consent, which do not capture the pervasive, non-physical grip that coercive control represents.

Coercive control is a pattern of domination aimed at restricting a person’s autonomy and freedom, sustained over time rather than a one-off incident. It shapes what a person can do, who they can see, and how they live, creating fear and dependence rather than safety and equality. In abuse cases, two concrete examples illustrate how this works.

Economic control involves managing or withholding money, monitoring spending, or restricting a survivor’s ability to work or access financial resources. By controlling finances, the perpetrator limits choices and makes leaving or seeking help extremely difficult, tying survival to the abuser’s terms.

Isolation is another common tactic, where the survivor’s contact with friends, family, and support networks is restricted. This can involve limiting who they can see, dictating where they go, or relocating to cut off familiar sources of support, which reinforces dependence and reduces safe alternatives.

These patterns show why coercive control is about ongoing power dynamics rather than isolated acts. The other options describe different concepts or narrow the issue to physical violence or consent, which do not capture the pervasive, non-physical grip that coercive control represents.