A new study from the University of Queensland has found that children who grow up exposed to coercive control are at much greater risk of developing mental health problems later in life. Researchers reported that intimidation, surveillance, and economic abuse in the home significantly increase the likelihood of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance misuse in adulthood.
The findings, which are published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, highlight that the impact of coercive control on children is long-lasting and severe, even when no physical violence is involved. Children in these environments learn to live under constant fear and manipulation, which can shape their development and sense of self for years to come.
According to the researchers, post-separation abuse must be treated as seriously as abuse that occurs during a relationship. They found that coercive tactics often continue after a relationship ends, through systems abuse, financial pressure, and the weaponisation of children in custody disputes.
Children Used as Tools of Control
Many survivors say that leaving a relationship did not bring freedom, but instead marked the beginning of new forms of abuse that centred on their children. These tactics often include pressuring children to provide information about the other parent, withholding child support, and using legal processes to maintain control.
“He called the police anonymously to report concerns about my mental health. Then he contacted children’s services, claiming I was the problem. He stopped paying child support and sent threatening emails about taking the kids away,” one survivor recalled.
Another explained how her children became unwilling messengers in a campaign of surveillance. “He constantly asked the kids about my activities. Then he’d confront me later, twisting their innocent answers into accusations. It felt like I was being watched all the time.”
The study found that when children are used as tools in this way, the bond with their protective parent is undermined, and their trust in relationships is deeply damaged. These experiences contribute to the long-term impact of coercive control on children, influencing how they relate to others and how they understand safety and power.
Courts and Systems as a Battleground
Researchers also noted that family courts and other institutions can inadvertently provide avenues for perpetrators to continue their abuse. By filing repeated claims, manipulating visitation schedules, or refusing to meet financial obligations, abusers are able to maintain pressure on both the parent and the children.
“My ex uses our kids as weapons in family court,” one survivor shared. “He files endless claims, refuses to pay maintenance, rearranges visitation to disrupt my work, and then doesn’t show up.”
Experts described these actions as “systems abuse,” where legal and bureaucratic processes are exploited to prolong control. For children, the constant conflict and unpredictability add to their stress and create environments that research increasingly links with long-term health risks. The findings show that the impact of coercive control on children extends well beyond the family home and into the very structures meant to protect them.
Urgent Need for Legal Protections
The study, based on data from more than 16,000 participants in the Australian Child Maltreatment Study, concluded that coercive control has a direct and measurable effect on children’s mental health outcomes.
The researchers noted that women who experienced domestic violence and coercive control as children showed the highest rates of PTSD, depression, and self-harm, while men were more likely to develop substance use problems and engage in binge drinking or smoking.
The study recommended urgent investment in trauma-informed, child-centred interventions, as well as reforms to ensure that children are recognised as victim-survivors in their own right. Legal protections, the researchers argued, need to be strengthened so that perpetrators cannot continue to exploit children as a means of control after separation.
Hidden Wounds That Last
The research emphasised that the impact of coercive control on children often goes unseen. Unlike physical injuries, the psychological harm is hidden, yet it carries serious consequences across the lifespan. Survivors and researchers warn that without stronger protections, children who grow up in these environments are likely to carry the scars into adulthood.
The findings underline that post-separation abuse is not just a private dispute between parents. It is a child protection issue that requires urgent attention. Addressing the impact of coercive control on children, experts say, is essential to breaking the cycle of harm and safeguarding the mental health of the next generation.
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