Coercive Control: How Men Entrap Women in Personal Life (Interpersonal Violence)

Despite its great achievements, the domestic violence revolution is stalled, Evan Stark argues, a provocative conclusion he documents by showing that interventions have failed to improve womens long-term safety in relationships or to hold perpetrators accountable. Stark traces this failure to a startling paradox, that the singular focus on violence against women masks an even more devastating reality. In millions of abusive relationships, men use a largely unidentified form of subjugation that more closely resembles kidnapping or indentured servitude than assault. He calls this pattern coercive control. Drawing on sources that range from FBI statistics and film to dozens of actual cases from his thirty years of experience as an award-winning researcher, advocate, and forensic expert, Stark shows in terrifying detail how men can use coercive control to extend their dominance over time and through social space in ways that subvert women's autonomy, isolate them, and infiltrate the most intimate corners of their lives. Against this backdrop, Stark analyzes the cases of three women tried for crimes committed in the context of abuse, showing that their reactions are only intelligible when they are reframed as victims of coercive control rather than as battered wives. The story of physical and sexual violence against women has been told often. But this is the first book to show that most abused women who seek help do so because their rights and liberties have been jeopardized, not because they have been injured. The coercive control model Stark develops resolves three of the most perplexing challenges posed by abuse: why these relationships endure, why abused women develop a profile of problems seen among no other group of assault victims, and why the legal system has failed to win them justice. Elevating coercive control from a second-class misdemeanor to a human rights violation, Stark explains why law, policy, and advocacy must shift its focus to emphasize how coercive control jeopardizes women's freedom in everyday life. Fiercely argued and eminently readable, Stark's work is certain to breathe new life into the domestic violence revolution. Despite Its Great Achievements, The Domestic Violence Revolution Is Stalled, Evan Stark Argues, A Provocative Conclusion He Documents By Showing That Interventions Have Failed To Improve Women's Long-term Safety In Relationships Or To Hold Perpetrators Accountable. Stark Traces This Failure To A Startling Paradox, That The Singular Focus On Violence Against Women Masks An Even More Devastating Reality. In Millions Of Abusive Relationships, Men Use A Largely Unidentified Form Of Subjugation That More Closely Resembles Kidnapping Or Indentured Servitude Than Assault. He Calls This Pattern Coercive Control. Drawing On Sources That Range From Fbi Statistics And Film To Dozens Of Actual Cases From His Thirty Years Of Experience As An Award-winning Researcher, Advocate, And Forensic Expert, Stark Shows In Terrifying Detail How Men Can Use Coercive Control To Extend Their Dominance Over Time And Through Social Space In Ways That Subvert Women's Autonomy, Isolate Them, And Infiltrate The Most Intimate Corners Of Their Lives. Against This Backdrop, Stark Analyzes The Cases Of Three Women Tried For Crimes Committed In The Context Of Abuse, Showing That Their Reactions Are Only Intelligible When They Are Reframed As Victims Of Coercive Control Rather Than As Battered Wives. Elevating Coercive Control From A Second-class Misdemeanor To A Human Rights Violation, Stark Explains Why Law, Policy, And Advocacy Must Shift Their Focus To Emphasize How Coercive Control Jeopardizes Women's Freedom In Everyday Life. Fiercely Argued And Eminently Readable, Stark's Work Is Certain To Breathe New Life Into The Domestic Violence Revolution.--jacket. Introduction -- The Domestic Violence Revolution : Promise And Disappointment -- The Enigmas Of Abuse -- From Domestic Violence To Coercive Control -- Living With Coercive Control -- Conclusion: Freedom Is Not Free. Evan Stark. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 402-440) And Index. One of the most important books ever written on domestic violence, Coercive Control breaks through entrenched views of physical abuse that have ultimately failed to protect women. Evan Stark, founder of one of America's first battered women's shelters, shows how "domestic violence" is neither primarily domestic nor necessarily violent, but a pattern of controlling behaviors more akin to terrorism and hostage-taking. Drawing on court records, interviews, and FBI statistics, Stark details coercive strategies that men use to deny women their very personhood, from "beeper games" to food logs to micromanaging dress, speech, sexual activity, and work. Stark urges us to move beyond the injury model and focus on the real victimization that allows men to violate women's human rights with impunity. Provocative and brilliantly argued, Coercive Control reframes abuse as a liberty crime rather than a crime of assault and points the way to bringing "real" equality for women in line with their formal rights to personhood and citizenship, freedom and safety. Despite Its Great Achievements, The Domestic Violence Revolution Is Stalled, Evan Stark Argues In This Provocative And Persuasive Book. Interventions Have Failed To Improve Women's Long-term Safety In Relationships Or To Hold Perpetrators Accountable, He Shows, Because The Singular Focus On Physical Violence Against Women Masks An Even More Devastating Reality. In Millions Of Abusive Relationships, Men Use A Largely Unidentified Form Of Subjugation That More Closely Resembles Kidnapping Or Indentured Servitude Than Assault. He Calls This Pattern Of Manipulative Behaviors Coercive Control. The Revolution Unfolds -- The Revolution Stalled -- The Proper Measure Of Abuse -- The Entrapment Enigma -- Representing Battered Women -- Up To Inequality -- The Theory Of Coercive Control -- The Technology Of Coercive Control -- When Battered Women Kill -- For Love Or Money -- The Special Reasonableness Of Battered Women -- Conclusion: Freedom Is Not Free. Evan Stark. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 402-440) And Index. INTRODUCTION. I. THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE REVOLUTION: PROMISE AND DISAPPOINTMENT. 1. The Revolution Unfolds. 2. The Revolution Stalled. II. ENIGMAS OF ABUSE. 3. The Proper Measure of Abuse. 4. The Entrapment Enigma. 5. Re-presenting Battered Women. II. FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TO COERCIVE CONTROL. 6. Up to Inequality. 7. The Theory of Coercive Control. 8. The Technology of Coercive Control. IV. LIVING WITH COERCIVE CONTROL. 9. When Battered Women Kill. 10. For Love or Money. 11. The Reasonableness of Battered Women. Conclusion: Freedom is Not Free One of the most important books ever written on domestic violence, Coercive Control reframes spousal abuse as a liberty crime rather than a crime of assault. Evan Stark, founder of one of America's first battered women's shelters, shows how ""domestic violence"" is neither primarily domestic nor necessarily violent, but a pattern of controlling behaviors more akin to terrorism and hostage-taking. Drawing on court records, interviews, and FBI statistics, Stark details coercive strategies that men use to deny women their very personhood Drawing on cases, Stark identifies the problems with our current approach to domestic violence, outlines the components of coercive control, and then uses this alternate framework to analyse the cases of battered women charged with criminal offenses directed at their abusers