African American women are disproportionately impacted by intimate partner violence (IPV)-related homicide. They reflect the second highest prevalence rates and experience the highest rates of murder resulting from IPV victimization. Although most survivors note that they have experienced rejection and anticipatory stigma as barriers to their help seeking, African American women additionally experience racism and racial discrimination as obstacles that may further preclude their help seeking. This systematic review highlights African American women’s experiences of rejection from providers and the effects that it may have upon their ability to secure urgent aid.

*Victims Must Not Be Lost in Domestic Violence and Policing Debates

*How Abusers Trick Survivors Into Denying Abuse

*Explaining DARVO: Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim & Offender

*Domestic violence victims often recant, but their abusers can still be brought to justice

*Coercive Control

*What Kind Of Person Is Likely To Carry Out Coercive Control In Their Relationships?



*Profile of an Abuser:

✓Jealousy; questioning partner constantly about whereabouts, jealous of the time she spends away from him

✓Controlling behavior; the victim cannot get a job, leave the house, or bathe without permission

✓Isolation; makes the victim move away from family and friends so they solely depend on the abuser for support

✓Forces sex against partner's will

✓Holds very rigid gender roles; the partner's job is to cater to the abuser

Coercive control: Coercive control is an act or a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish, or frighten their victim. This controlling behaviour is designed to make a person dependent by isolating them from support, exploiting them, depriving them of independence and regulating their everyday behaviour.

We campaigned and succeeded in making coercive control a criminal offense. This has marked a huge step forward in tackling domestic abuse. But now we want to make sure that everyone understands what it is.

Coercive control creates invisible chains and a sense of fear that pervades all elements of a victim’s life. It works to limit their human rights by depriving them of their liberty and reducing their ability for action. Experts like Evan Stark liken coercive control to being taken hostage. As he says: “the victim becomes captive in an unreal world created by the abuser, entrapped in a world of confusion, contradiction and fear.”