The deeper context of coercive control: New insights into behavioural patterns in coercive controllers to support greater precision in social worker assessments of critical risk

This research aimed to provide new insights into the behaviours and tactics of people who engage in coercive control. The research drew on the knowledge and experiences of a wide range of professionals working with people who actively violate social norms and harm and disadvantage others by conscious choice both inside and outside of forensic settings. The results provide a framework to inform social work practice, policy, and training requirements to support the assessment and management of risk to both vulnerable adults and children when they are targeted by people who perpetrate coercive control.