UNDERSTANDING COERCIVE CONTROL: in relationships, parenting, and divorce

Coercive control is now understood as the foundation of abuse — including abuse within family systems and intimate partnerships. Rather than isolated incidents, it is defined by a sustained, strategic pattern of behaviors designed to dominate victims and systematically erode their autonomy.

Violence is not the defining characteristic. Abusers employ a multifaceted arsenal of tactics: psychological manipulation, gaslighting, intimidation, and isolation. Financial abuse functions as another instrument of control, and institutional systems — family and criminal courts, child protective services — are frequently co-opted by abusers as extensions of their power, providing a sanctioned stage on which harm continues.

For many navigating these situations, the most devastating expression of coercive control is the weaponization of children. Children are secondary victims, not because they are less relevant, but because they become the primary weapon to harm the adult victim.

This INSIDE THE WELLSPACE LIVE conversation brings together two experts who work directly with these realities:

Dr. Christine Cocchiola, internationally recognized researcher and educator on coercive control, will explain how coercive control operates, why it can be difficult to identify, and how these dynamics affect women, children, and parenting.

Lois Liberman, partner at Blank Rome LLP and an experienced divorce attorney, will discuss how coercive control appears in separation and divorce proceedings and what women should understand as they navigate custody, financial decisions, and the legal system.

Together, this discussion will help women:

• Understand the defining patterns of coercive control
• Recognize how these dynamics affect parenting and children
• Learn how coercive control can shape separation, custody, and divorce proceedings
• Gain insight into how the legal system approaches these cases
• Identify practical steps and sources of support

Many women move through these experiences feeling isolated or unsure of what they are facing. Conversations like this provide language, understanding, and connection. By attending, you are taking a meaningful step toward recognizing these dynamics and navigating them with greater awareness and support.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Blank Rome LLP, 1271 6th Avenue, New York, United States

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