Coercive Control Blog Post
We are pleased to present Anna’s first publication, "Coercive Control in LGBTQIA+ Intimate Relationships," originally featured on the authoritative Emerald Group Publishing platform. This paper is a foundational and essential resource, designed to bridge a significant gap in current research and practitioner training.
This publication moves beyond the heteronormative models that have historically dominated domestic abuse literature. It serves as a necessary introduction and foreground for understanding the complex, systemic vulnerabilities that shape the LGBTQIA+ experience of coercive control. By providing an inclusive framework, this work is positioned to inform policy and intervention strategies that recognise the full spectrum of intimate partner violence.
The core insight of this analysis lies in detailing how coercive control is weaponised using identity based tactics unique to the LGBTQIA+ community:
Threats of Disclosure: The use of non-consensual "outing" (of sexual orientation or gender identity) as a potent tool for manipulation and power assertion.
Systemic Isolation: Control tactics aimed at severing connections to chosen family, affirming community spaces, or essential services (such as gender-affirming care).
Identity Denial: The consistent deployment of homophobia, biphobia, or transphobia to undermine a partner's sense of self and psychological stability.
This paper is a critical first step in developing targeted, informed responses. We urge all academics, advocacy professionals, and service providers to engage with this publication to cultivate a deeper, more accurate understanding of LGBTQIA+ coercive control.
