Coercive Control or Controlling Behavior
The type of intimate partner violence described—where the perpetrator limits access to the victim's family and friends and excessively monitors their whereabouts and communication—is called "controlling behavior" or "coercive control," which is a form of psychological abuse within IPV. 1
Definition and Classification
Intimate partner violence encompasses multiple forms of abuse, including physical aggression, sexual coercion, psychological abuse, and controlling behavior. 1 The specific behaviors you describe fall under the category of psychological abuse with controlling tactics:
- Controlling behavior specifically involves restricting the victim's autonomy, social connections, and freedom of movement 1
- This includes isolating victims from family and friends, monitoring their communications, tracking their whereabouts, and limiting their access to resources 1
- The World Health Organization explicitly categorizes this as a distinct component of IPV alongside physical, sexual, and other forms of psychological harm 1
Specific Manifestations
Recent research has identified two primary dimensions of psychological abuse that include these controlling behaviors 2, 3:
- Direct psychological abuse strategies: Tactics that directly affect the victim's emotional, cognitive, and behavioral functioning 2
- Indirect psychological abuse strategies: Control and domination over the victim's context, including isolation from support networks and surveillance of activities 2, 3
The behaviors you describe—limiting access to family/friends and excessive monitoring—fall specifically into the "Restrictive Isolating Abuse" category, which is one of four validated factors of psychological IPV 3
Clinical Importance
This form of abuse is particularly insidious because it often occurs without physical violence but causes severe psychological harm. 2, 3 Controlling behavior and isolation:
- Frequently co-occurs with other forms of IPV and may escalate to physical or sexual violence 4
- Causes loss of agency, self-belief, and entrapment in the relationship 3
- Is associated with depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicidal ideation 5, 4
Common Pitfall
Do not assume that absence of physical violence means low risk—psychological abuse and coercive control are serious forms of IPV that may not involve physical contact but still cause substantial harm and predict future escalation. 6