The subtle signs of coercive control to watch out for. Made by BBC Ideas in partnership with The Open University https://connect.open.ac.uk/ #BBCIdeas #CoerciveControl #Control #Relationships Details of support for some of the issues raised in this video are available at the BBC Action Line: https://www.bbc.co.uk/actionline/ | BBC One

Coercive control isn’t “invisible abuse.” It’s the foundation of all abuse — the slow, intentional erosion of autonomy, safety, and connection. 💔 Many abusers don’t need to use violence — their psychological tactics work just as well. And when children are caught in it, their painful words or behaviors aren’t rebellion — they’re survival. In this video, Dr. Christine Cocchiola — researcher, advocate, and protective parent — shares how narcissistic abuse and coercive control intersect, and why u

Children who grow up under coercive control are navigating two worlds — one built on fear, and one built on safety. And when they come home dysregulated, explosive, or even aggressive, it’s not because they’re “bad”… it’s because they’re surviving. What you’re seeing is control in the context of no control, just as Dr. Evan Stark describes. Your child is being controlled by the abuser — and simultaneously fearing that if they don’t align, they’ll face the same punishment, rejection, or contempt

The subtle signs of coercive control to watch out for. Made by BBC Ideas in partnership with The Open University https://connect.open.ac.uk/ #BBCIdeas #CoerciveControl #Control #Relationships Details of support for some of the issues raised in this video are available at the BBC Action Line: https://www.bbc.co.uk/actionline/ | BBC

Coercive control pushes survivors into emotional corners that most people will never understand. When someone is chronically degraded, isolated, and trapped in a no-win reality, the nervous system goes into survival mode — and reactions can become extreme because the situation is extreme. In the Perfect Prey episode, Sarma Melngailis shares how relentless psychological pressure left her feeling cornered, enraged, and terrified by her own reactions. This is what coercive control does: it wears do

One of the most painful parts of coercive control is self-doubt. Survivors often say: “I wasn’t sure… but if even a computer can see it, then it must be real.” That moment of recognition matters. Because discomfort isn’t random. If something felt wrong, there’s usually a reason — and there is language for it. Tools like Aimee Says help illuminate patterns survivors were never taught to name: financial abuse, gaslighting, intimidation — all pieces of coercive control. Validation restores clarity.

When survivors finally enter family court, many arrive believing it’s where justice will finally be seen — but for those escaping narcissistic abuse or coercive control, the reality is often far more devastating. As Dr. Ramani explains in this conversation with Dr. Christine Cocchiola, the “divorce industrial complex” is a multi-billion-dollar system where the most antagonistic, abusive cases generate the most profit. Evaluators, GALs, assessments, court-mandated services — all of it becomes fue