Coercive control is not simply about someone being difficult or controlling. It is much more than that. Coercive control is about taking away someone else’s freedom. It involves manipulation, control and other methods, such as intermittent reinforcement, which I wrote about here.
It begins when one person interferes with another person’s freedom to choose, decide and live according to their own needs and values.
This story explores the difference between ordinary control and coercion, and how manipulation, gaslighting and pressure can slowly replace free will.
It also examines why coercive control can appear in relationships, families, workplaces and institutions, often becoming normalised before the person affected fully recognises what is happening.