What is coercive control? New tool helps victims of intimate partner violence recognize it [Video]

It’s often referred to as the hidden side of domestic violence, but a Quebec women’s group says coercive control is at the heart of many instances of this abuse. 

That’s why the Regroupement des maisons pour femmes victimes de violence conjugale (RMFVVC) has launched a website about this more subtle form of intimate partner violence — including how to spot it and stop it.

Coercive control can be defined as a set of behaviours a partner uses to cause fear and isolate a victim from friends and family. It deprives a victim of their freedom, little by little, and it can easily go unnoticed.

“It’s very diverse and sometimes it’s going to start slowly and by the time the victim realizes it’s not normal, the spiderweb will already be around her,” …