Articles
When Intimacy Becomes a Weapon: Revenge Porn as a Tool of Coercive Control
Revenge porn has emerged as a powerful and devastating tool for coercive control in abusive relationships. Defined as the non-consensual sharing of intimate images,...
Articles
False Love: Manipulative Affection in Abusive Relationships
Love is generally celebrated as a source of joy and connection. It’s considered to be the foundation for healthy relationships, a force that heals,...
Articles
Why it May Take Years to Recognize Abuse in Relationships
Abuse in relationships doesn’t always come with clear warnings or obvious red flags. For many survivors, it takes years—even decades—to understand that their partner’s...
Articles
Survivors Share Why It Is So Hard to Leave an Abusive Relationship
"Why didn’t you just leave?” is a question often directed at survivors of domestic abuse. While this question may seem simple on the surface,...
Articles
DARVO Explained: How Abusers Deny, Attack, and Play the Victim
In abusive relationships, a tactic known as DARVO is often used to manipulate, disorient, coerce, and silence victims. DARVO is an acronym that stands...
Articles
Sabotaging Success: The Impact of Coercive Control on Careers and Education
In many abusive relationships involving coercive control, the abuser's need for control extends far beyond the home and into their partner's career and educational...
Articles
Unique Challenges Faced by Male Victims of Coercive Control
While most research focuses on women as the victims of coercive control, men can also fall victim to these tactics. However, male victims often...
Articles
Systems Abuse: Exploitation of Legal and Institutional Systems to Control Victims
Systems abuse is an abuser's calculated use of legal, bureaucratic, and institutional structures to control, intimidate, and harass their victims. Abusers exploit the very...