Shadows of Control

Abusers withhold affection, attention, & kindness to punish you. It’s a subtle control tactic—if you don’t comply, they make you feel emotionally abandoned. Over time, you work harder to please them just to avoid their coldness. This weaponizes your need for connection.

#EmotionalAbuse

Signs of Gaslighting: 15 Red Flags to Watch Out For Recognize the signs of gaslighting and protect yourself from manipulation and control. Learn how to identify this tactic and regain your power.

Gaslighting is a severe form of mental and emotional abuse, which creates a fog of uncertainty and self-doubt, gradually wearing down your self-confidence. Learn to spot the signs! #gaslighting 🚩

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Isolation, dependence, and total control—this is how coercive control erodes your identity piece by piece.
#domesticabuseawareness #emotionalabuse

Marc Masterton Jailed Again for Controlling and Abusive Behavior Marc Masterton has been jailed in England for coercively controlling his former girlfriend. He was previously imprisoned for the same crime against.

This abuser has been jailed for a second time for horrific abuse and #coercivecontrol of a former girlfriend. His first jail sentence was for the abuse of Chloe Holland, who tragically committed suicide as a result of his abuse.

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I'd rather choose solitude than compromise my self-worth for my partner's approval. ✋

50 Gaslighting Phrases and The Hidden Meanings Behind Them Gaslighting is one of the most insidious forms of manipulation.

Gaslighting isn’t just lying—it’s a systematic way to make you doubt yourself, your memory, and your feelings. From dismissing your emotions to rewriting events, these manipulative phrases erode your confidence and sense of reality.

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Healing means reconnecting with your truth—beyond the shame, blame, and distortion they implanted.
#HealingJourney

Emotional abusers are insidious. They shower you with love & praise, spinning a fairy tale. At first, they seem perfect—then the criticism begins. They twist your words, guilt-trip you, gaslight you, & play with your emotions. They hide behind smiles. Stay vigilant. ⚠️

You’re allowed to be loud. You’re allowed to be angry. Survival doesn’t mean shrinking yourself to make others comfortable.
#HealingJourney

Is Your Loved One Being Abused? Learn How You Can Help Learn how to support domestic abuse victims with compassion and understanding. Help create a safe and supportive environment for those in need.

Learn how you can support someone you care about that is in, or has just left, an abusive relationship. #DomesticAbuseAwareness

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Toxic people want power over you, not a relationship with you. ⚠️ 🚩

David Edwards and the Hidden Struggles of Male Victims Discover the harrowing story of David Edwards, a solicitor whose murder exposes the dark reality of domestic violence against men.

David Edwards, a respected solicitor from England, was murdered by hiw wife, Sharon Edwards, just two months after their wedding. His death serves as a crucial call for increased awareness around male victims of #domesticabuse.

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Abuse is often hidden behind charm, charisma, or social respectability. That’s what makes it so hard to spot—and so easy to dismiss.
#DomesticAbuseAwareness

Behind Closed Doors: Lisa’s Story of Coercive Control (Video) Explore Lisa's powerful story of enduring coercive control. Learn about the hidden scars of non-physical abuse and the devastating impact on victims.

Lisa’s experience of #coercivecontrol is a poignant example of the severe impact of non-physical abuse. Though her home appeared serene and her life ostensibly unblemished to outsiders, inside her walls, a different reality prevailed.

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Entitlement is a characteristic of every abuser!

#coercivecontrol #domesticabuse

Controlling Husband Bugged Wife’s Online Therapy Session A controlling husband was convicted after secretly bugging his wife's room to listen in on her online therapy session and violently attacking her.

A Welsh man was convicted for abuse after secretly bugging his wife’s office to listen in on her private therapy sessions and physically attacking her. #CoerciveControl

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Shared custody with an abuser isn’t co-parenting—it’s court-sanctioned access to harm.
#ProtectChildren #PostSeparationAbuse

Gaslighters.
They twist reality, making you question what’s real.
The more you believe them, the more they manipulate.
The harder you try to understand, the more they distort.
The closer you get to certainty, the faster they spin lies.

You are not crazy—trust your truth.

#Gaslighting

Abusers wear masks. To the outside world, they seem charming and generous. Behind closed doors, they’re a different person entirely.
#HiddenAbuse #DomesticAbuseAwareness

Readers’ Voices: What Abuse Victims Wish Others Understood Gain insight into the experiences of abuse survivors and what they wish others understood. Learn about the complexities and challenges of leaving abusive relationships.

Many people who escape domestic abuse report feeling misunderstood. Here are some things victims wish others understood about what it is really like to leave. #DomesticAbuseAwareness

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Special occasions are just another opportunity for an abuser to stir up drama and overshadow your happiness. 🚩

“My Controlling Husband Dictated My Every Move” (Video) Witness the journey of Bethany Green as she bravely shares her story of survival and empowerment. Uncover the truth about living with a controlling husband in this powerful episode.

To outsiders, her relationship seemed normal, but she lived under constant surveillance and intimidation. #CoerciveControl

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Abuse thrives in silence and appearances. Victims often look strong, composed, even happy—because they’ve had to be.
#HiddenAbuse #DomesticAbuseAwareness

How to Prove Coercive Control: Practical Steps Learn how to prove coercive control in domestic abuse cases. Understand the legal framework and legislation addressing this form of abuse.

Proving #coercivecontrol requires demonstrating an ongoing pattern of abusive behavior. While each case is unique, there are many steps individuals can take to substantiate their claims.

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Abuse often works slowly, chipping away at your identity piece by piece. You don’t realise how much of yourself you’ve lost—until one day, you barely recognise who you are.
#CoerciveControl

Readers’ Voices: “I Didn’t Know I Was Being Abused” Uncover the hidden signs of abuse in relationships. Learn how some victims fail to recognize abusive behaviors until it's too late.

Many people don’t recognize they are being abused because the perception of domestic abuse is often limited to physical assaults. Here are some things readers shared, which they didn't initially know was abuse. #DomesticAbuseAwareness

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Reactive Abuse vs Reactive Defense: How Mislabeling Harms Victims of Domestic Violence A recent case involving Paula, the wife of a Metropolitan police officer, highlights the serious issues surrounding coercive control, gaslighting, and the misrepresentation of what is often called 'reactive abuse.'

Paula endured 10+ years of abuse, including secret recordings that turned her defensive reactions into “evidence” against her. What some call reactive abuse was actually reactive defense—a natural response to prolonged manipulation.

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You deserve relationships that make you feel safe, valued, and loved. Never settle for less. ❤️ #HealthyRelationships

Over time, an abuser’s relentless demands wear away your identity, leaving you a shell of who you once were.

This loss of self is a hallmark of #coercivecontrol. Recovery means rediscovering your beliefs, interests & values that were long suppressed.

Emotional and psychological abuse can be so invisible that victims feel they need visible wounds to be believed. Abuse is abuse—even when there are no bruises.
#DomesticAbuseAwareness