Controlling behavior in relationships

Manipulators and abusers may control their victims with a range of tactics, including, but not limited to, positive reinforcement (such as praise, superficial charm, flattery, ingratiation, love bombing), negative reinforcement (taking away aversive tasks or items), intermittent or partial reinforcement, psychological punishment (such as silent treatment, threats, emotional blackmail, guilt trips) and traumatic tactics (such as verbal abuse, gaslighting, or explosive anger).{{cite book |last1=Braiker |first1=Harriet B |title=Who's Pulling Your Strings?: How to Break the Cycle of Manipulation and Regain Control of Your Life |date=2003 |publisher=McGraw Hill Professional |location=New York |isbn=9780071435680 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dGwgiQvyeq0C |access-date=24 July 2021 |chapter=An Overview of Manipulation}}

The vulnerabilities of the victim are exploited, with those who are particularly vulnerable being most often selected as targets.{{rp|3}}{{cite book |last1=Simon |first1=George K. |title=In Sheep's Clothing: Understanding and Dealing with Manipulative People |date=1996 |publisher=A.J. Christopher |location=Little Rock, Arkansas |isbn=9780965169608 |edition=revised |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MV-fjg3baSoC |chapter=Recognizing the Tactics of Manipulation and Control}}{{Cite book|title=The Psychopathology of Everyday Life: How to Deal with Manipulative People |first=Martin|last=Kantor |year=2006 |publisher=Bloomsbury Academic |isbn=978-0-275-98798-5}} Traumatic bonding can occur between abusers and victims as the result of ongoing cycles of abuse in which the intermittent reinforcement of reward and punishment creates powerful emotional bonds (that are resistant to change) and a climate of fear.{{cite book | last=Sanderson | first=C. | title=Counselling Survivors of Domestic Abuse | publisher=Jessica Kingsley Publishers | year=2008 | isbn=978-1-84642-811-1 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5vA42Opyx9cC | access-date=28 November 2021 | page=}} An attempt may be made to normalize, legitimize, rationalize, deny, or minimize the abusive behavior, or to blame the victim for it.{{Cite book|title= Understanding Child Abuse and Neglect |first= Cynthia |last=Crosson-Tower |isbn=0-205-40183-X |publisher=Allyn & Bacon |year=2005|page=208}}{{cite book|author=Monique Mattei Ferraro|author2=Eoghan Casey|author3=Michael McGrath|title=Investigating Child Exploitation and Pornography: The Internet, the Law and Forensic Science |publisher=Academic Press|isbn=0121631052|year=2005|page=159|access-date=April 6, 2016|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=BtjzJhcAAGYC&pg=PA159}}{{cite book|author=Christiane Sanderson|title= Counselling Adult Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse|publisher=Jessica Kingsley Publishers|isbn= 1843103354|year= 2006|access-date=April 6, 2016|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Hpq-SvwKtkUC&pg=PA30}}

In the study of abnormal psychology, certain personality disorders display characteristics involving the need to gain compliance or control over others:Larsen, Randy J., and David M. Buss. Personality Psychology: Domains of Knowledge about Human Nature. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2010. ISBN 978-0073370682 There are many different types of personality disorders and they are often characterized by 3 clusters. Individuals with cluster B personality disorders might be more prone to some negative behaviors related to having power and control over others. Cluster B includes narcissistic, histrionic, borderline, and antisocial personality disorder.{{Cite web |title=Personality disorders – Symptoms and causes |url=https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/personality-disorders/symptoms-causes/syc-20354463 |access-date=2022-07-17 |website=Mayo Clinic |language=en}}

In England and Wales, the Serious Crime Act 2015 created a criminal offense for controlling or coercive behavior in an intimate or family relationship.[https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statutory-guidance-framework-controlling-or-coercive-behaviour-in-an-intimate-or-family-relationship Statutory guidance framework: controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate or family relationship] 05 Dec 2015 gov.uk[https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/17530455.university-graduate-from-poole-admits-controlling-and-coercive-behaviour/ "University graduate from Poole admits controlling and coercive behaviour"] Daily Echo 27 Mar 2019 For the purposes of this offense, the coercive behavior must have been engaged in "repeatedly or continuously".[https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statutory-guidance-framework-controlling-or-coercive-behaviour-in-an-intimate-or-family-relationship Statutory guidance framework: controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate or family relationship] 05 Dec 2015 gov.uk Another element of the offense is that it must have had, or have, a "serious effect"[https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statutory-guidance-framework-controlling-or-coercive-behaviour-in-an-intimate-or-family-relationship Statutory guidance framework: controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate or family relationship] 05 Dec 2015 gov.uk on the victim. One way this can be proved, is that the coercive behavior can be shown to have caused the victim to fear violence on at least two occasions, or for it to have had, or have, a "substantial adverse effect on the victims' day to day activities".[https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statutory-guidance-framework-controlling-or-coercive-behaviour-in-an-intimate-or-family-relationship Statutory guidance framework: controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate or family relationship] 05 Dec 2015 gov.uk The prosecution should be able to show that there was intent to control or coerce the targeted person in some manner.{{Cite web|title=Controlling or Coercive Behaviour in an Intimate or Family Relationship|url=https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/controlling-or-coercive-behaviour-intimate-or-family-relationship|website=CPS.gov.uk}} 30px Text was copied from this source, which is available under an [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/2/ Open Government Licence v2.0]. © Crown copyright. In 2019, the UK government made teaching about what coercive control was a mandatory part of the education syllabus on relationships.{{cite web |last1=Price |first1=Hannah |title=Coercive control: 'I was 16 and thought it was normal' |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/article/f2b92a97-66d8-42b5-8d70-6a38c29b82e1 |website=BBC |date=27 October 2020 |access-date=October 27, 2020}}

In 2019, Ireland enacted the Domestic Violence Act 2018, which allowed for the practice of coercive control to be identifiable based upon its effects on the victim. On this basis, it was defined as 'any evidence of deterioration in the physical, psychological, or emotional welfare of the applicant or a dependent person which is caused directly by fear of the behavior of the respondent.'.{{cite web |last1= Baumann, J.D. |first1=Mark |title=Coercive control and emotional abuse illegal in U.K., France, Ireland –and Clallam? |url=https://clallamcountybar.com/coercive-control-and-emotional-abuse-illegal-in-u-k-france-ireland-clallam-county/ |website= Clallam County Bar Clallam County lawyers & legal news |date=2 January 2019 |access-date=27 October 2020}}

In the United States, to assist in preventing and stopping domestic violence against children, laws mandate report in specific professions, such as teacher, doctor, or care provider, of any suspected abuse happening in the home.{{Cite journal|last1=Hyman|first1=Ariella|last2=Schillinger|first2=Dean|last3=Lo|first3=Bernard|date=1995-06-14|title=Laws Mandating Reporting of Domestic Violence: Do They Promote Patient Well-being?|url=https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/388829|journal=JAMA|language=en|volume=273|issue=22|pages=1781–1787|doi=10.1001/jama.1995.03520460063037|pmid=7769774|issn=0098-7484|url-access=subscription}} Family law is mostly under the jurisdiction of state and local governments in the United States. As such, states are unequally tackling coercive control through legislation.

Jennifers' Law is a law in the U.S. state of Connecticut that expands the definition of domestic violence to include coercive control. The law is named for two women, both victims of domestic violence: Jennifer Farber Dulos and Jennifer Magnano.{{cite news |last1=Murdock |first1=Zach |title=Survivors of domestic violence urge Connecticut lawmakers to pass reforms named for Jennifer Farber Dulos, Jennifer Magnano |url=https://www.courant.com/politics/hc-pol-jennifers-law-domestic-violence-20210324-x36vmtaz55d7dh2wuznxtvxdrq-story.html |access-date=29 June 2021 |work=Hartford Courant |date=24 Mar 2021}} It became a law in 2021.{{cite news |last1=Agogliati |first1=Mike |title=Lamont signs "Jennifer's Law" expanding domestic violence definition |url=https://www.wfsb.com/news/lamont-signs-jennifers-law-expanding-domestic-violence-definition/article_c4970ba4-d86f-11eb-8819-c73f8f4afd59.html?block_id=995304 |access-date=29 June 2021 |work=WFSB News |date=28 Jun 2021}}

{{Portal|Psychology}}

{{columns-list|colwidth=18em|

• Battered person syndrome
• Blackmail
• Bullying
• Child grooming
• Coercion
• Control freak
• Cycle of violence
• Domestic violence
• Elder abuse
• Emotional blackmail
• Extortion
• Institutional abuse
• Intimate partner violence
• Intimate relationship
• Isolation to facilitate abuse
• Love bombing
• Mind games
• Power and Control: Domestic Violence in America
• Psychological abuse

}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Abuse}}

{{Manipulation (psychology)}}

{{Domestic violence}}

Category:Control (social and political)

Category:Abuse

Category:Psychological abuse

Category:Psychological manipulation

Category:Domestic violence

Category:Intimate relationships