Controlling behavior

behaviour of an abusive person seeking to gain and maintains power and control From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Controlling behavior refers to the behavior of a person to control someone else.[1][2] In relationships, abusers employ a range of ways, such as coercion and intimidation, to control others.[3] Victims are often subject to physical, financial, sexual and psychological abuse.[1][2]

Characteristics

Abusers employ a range of ways to control another person,[4] some of which look positive, making their victims less likely to know that they are being abused.[4]

Positive ways

Negative ways

Causes

Controlling behavior can be caused by different factors.[4] Many abusers have personality disorders they are not aware of.[10]

Law

United Kingdom

England and Wales

The Serious Crime Act 2015 created a criminal offence for controlling behavior in a family or an intimate relationship.[11][12] The Act requires the following criteria to be met in order for someone to be convicted:[11][13]

The controlling behavior must have

  • had a "serious effect" on the victim
  • been carried out "repeatedly or continuously"
  • caused the victim to fear violence at least twice
  • been carried out with the intent to control or coerce[14] the victim in some manner

Scotland

Controlling behavior is also a criminal offence in Scotland under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018, with largely the same criteria.

United States

Several states have passed laws to require those in certain professions, including doctors, teachers and caregivers, to report domestic violence against children to the authorities.[15] Family law mostly comes under the jurisdiction of local and state governments, leading to differences in handling controlling behavior in relationships.[15]

Examples

The Jennifers' Law of Connecticut is a law in the U.S. state of Connecticut including coercive control within the definition of domestic violence. The law is named after two women, both victims of domestic violence: Jennifer Farber Dulos and Jennifer Magnano,[16] which came into effect in 2021.[16]

Related pages

References

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