Which statement accurately reflects the relationship between coercive control and physical violence?

• A. Coercive control is a form of criminal law after a conviction.
• B. Coercive control is ongoing manipulation and domination of a partner’s autonomy; physical violence is one form that may occur within the control pattern.
• C. Physical violence always implies coercive control.
• D. Coercive control only occurs in romantic relationships.

Answer: (B)

Coercive control is a sustained pattern of power and control in a relationship, where one person manipulates, isolates, monitors, and constrains the other to maintain autonomy and threaten harm. Physical violence can be a tool within that pattern, but it’s not the defining feature; coercive control focuses on the ongoing control of the partner’s life, of which violence may be one part. You can have coercive control without always seeing physical harm, and physical violence can occur without a broader, persistent control pattern. This makes the statement that best captures the relationship: coercive control is ongoing manipulation and domination of a partner’s autonomy, with physical violence being one form that may occur within that pattern.