When Abuse Is Psychological - Coercive Control
It can be difficult to identify abuse when there aren't physical signs to prove it. This New York Times article highlights how serious of an abuse coercive control is, and the importance of recognizing it. "Coercive control describes an ongoing and multipronged strategy, with tactics that include manipulation, humiliation, isolation, financial abuse, stalking, gaslighting and sometimes physical or sexual abuse." According to the article, coercive control often escalates to physical abuse when victims are not compliant to the control. In the early stages of a relationship, coercive control can take the form of time monopolization, which can even feel good to individuals who are seeking love and companionship. In December of 2015, England and Wales included coercive control in its definition of domestic abuse, America has yet to follow.
