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The following excerpts were written by Dr. Christine Cocchiola and featured in the Custody Peace article:

“Coercive control has been making headlines this week and for the first time ever was trending on Twitter. — So, what exactly does coercive control mean”

“Physical abuse is what most people think of when they hear “domestic violence,” however, there is something deeper at play here. Something that is the foundation of almost all forms of domestic violence: the need for a partner or ex-partner to dominate, assert power, and coercively control their victim. The need for them to “power over” them at all costs.”

“Coercive Control “includes psychological abuse such as manipulation, intimidation, gaslighting, and isolation — and perpetrators use these tactics continuously. Victims of coercive control are therefore being constantly abused, even if there has not been an incident of physical violence for months, or ever.” (Katz, 2022). Coercive control may include financial abuse and Legal Abuse/Vexatious Litigation which is when oftentimes the court system (and supporting systems) becomes an empowering arm of coercive control.”