“It's Like You're a Living Hostage, and It Never Ends”: A Qualitative Examination of the Trauma and Mental Health Impacts of Coercive Control

Abstract

Coercive control is a complex and poorly understood dimension of intimate partner violence that is associated with trauma and mental health consequences. It is essential to understand the nuanced and varied experiences of coercive control and potential processes of traumatization. In this qualitative phenomenological study, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 16 women who had experienced coercive control and accessed domestic violence services in Australia. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis, which addressed two research questions: (1) How do women describe their experiences of coercive control and (2) How do women describe the impact of coercive control exposure on their mental health? Findings identified entrapment and insidiousness (characterized by subtlety, intangibleness, and gradual worsening), as underlying dimensions of coercive control that were central to the trauma and mental health reactions of participants. These women also described a range of trauma and mental health reactions (e.g., anxiety, hypervigilance, affective dysregulation, negative self-concept, and disturbances with trust and relationships). The findings have important implications for research and practice, highlighting the pressing need for the provision of trauma-informed and integrated psychosocial care by frontline services, health care providers, and mental health professionals who support women who have been exposed to coercive control. Additional online materials for this article are available on PWQ's website at http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/suppl/10.1177/03616843241269941