In relationships, control varies from mild to abusive to coercive control. When it’s mild, it can be helpful or annoying. When it’s abusive or coercive, it can be damaging. Control varies in pattern, ...

Coercive control almost always accompanies intimate partner violence (IPV), but IPV doesn’t need to accompany coercive control to effectively gain power and dominance over an intimate partner.

Abusive behavior is not always obvious. Here are some of the mechanisms controlling individuals use to keep their partners silent and disempowered. When we think of an unhealthy relationship, we often ...