Coercive control - Women’s Aid

What is coercive control and why is it hard to identify and escape?

Coercive control

Coercive control is as dangerous as physical violence. Hannah Clarke's parents know all too well.

Coercive control isn’t always physical. It’s a pattern of domination — a mix of overt acts and subtle manipulation that slowly erodes a person’s freedom and sense of self. Marie and her children lived in fear for years. No bruises. No hospital visits. And because of that, they weren’t seen as victims. Yet what they endured was abuse — constant control, isolation, and fear. If a stranger did these things, it would be a crime. But behind closed doors, coercive control often goes unseen and unpunis