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Coercive Control

Meaning

Coercive control describes a persistent, pervasive pattern of behavior where one person uses intimidation, isolation, and degradation to systematically exert power and restrict the autonomy of another. While fundamentally a psychological and social construct, the sustained, high-level psychological stress it induces has profound, measurable, and detrimental effects on human physiology. It functions as a form of chronic, inescapable trauma that continuously activates the body’s primary stress response systems. Clinically recognizing this severe social stressor is critical in the assessment and treatment of complex hormonal dysfunction.