top of page
Research & References
The following authors, researchers, and organizations have significantly advanced understanding of how coercive control affects children and youth:
Dr. Emma Katz, Professor at Edge Hill University: Examines the dynamics of child and maternal experiences under post-separation coercive control.
Dr. Lisa Fontes, Psychologist and Author: Analyzes the intersection of family violence and child abuse within varied cultural contexts.
Prof. Jeffrey L. Edleson, UC Berkeley Professor: Investigates developmental impacts of domestic violence exposure and Hague Convention litigation.
Dr. Christine Cocchiola, Clinician and Researcher: Focuses on the clinical implications of domestic abuse and the efficacy of protective parenting models.
Prof. Evan Stark, Rutgers University Professor Emeritus: Redefines coercive control as a liberty crime impacting child autonomy and development.
Prof. Jane E.M. Callaghan, University of Stirling Professor: Evaluates the agency and lived experiences of children surviving coercive family environments.
Prof. Molly Dragiewicz, Griffith University Professor: Researches the role of technology in facilitating domestic abuse and child-targeted digital victimization.
Dr. Karen Block, University of Melbourne Researcher: Studies the specific vulnerabilities and survivor patterns of children within migrant communities.
Dr. Judith Herman, Harvard Medical School Professor: Synthesizes frameworks for understanding complex trauma and recovery in child abuse survivors.
Dr. Mary Wakeham, Research Fellow: Identifies the use of animal cruelty as a strategic mechanism of coercive control within families.
Dr. Lisa Goodman, Boston College Professor: Examines systemic legal barriers and community-based responses to coercive control survivors.
Dr. Anna C. Salter, Psychologist and Author: Specializes in the forensic assessment of offenders to enhance protective measures for child victims.
Dr. David Finkelhor, University of New Hampshire Professor: Directs research on developmental victimology and the global prevalence of child maltreatment.
Prof. Michael Salter, UNSW Professor: Explores the correlations between child sexual abuse material and patterns of coercive domestic violence.
Dr. Lisa Fontes, Psychologist and Author: Analyzes the intersection of family violence and child abuse within varied cultural contexts.
Prof. Jeffrey L. Edleson, UC Berkeley Professor: Investigates developmental impacts of domestic violence exposure and Hague Convention litigation.
Dr. Christine Cocchiola, Clinician and Researcher: Focuses on the clinical implications of domestic abuse and the efficacy of protective parenting models.
Prof. Evan Stark, Rutgers University Professor Emeritus: Redefines coercive control as a liberty crime impacting child autonomy and development.
Prof. Jane E.M. Callaghan, University of Stirling Professor: Evaluates the agency and lived experiences of children surviving coercive family environments.
Prof. Molly Dragiewicz, Griffith University Professor: Researches the role of technology in facilitating domestic abuse and child-targeted digital victimization.
Dr. Karen Block, University of Melbourne Researcher: Studies the specific vulnerabilities and survivor patterns of children within migrant communities.
Dr. Judith Herman, Harvard Medical School Professor: Synthesizes frameworks for understanding complex trauma and recovery in child abuse survivors.
Dr. Mary Wakeham, Research Fellow: Identifies the use of animal cruelty as a strategic mechanism of coercive control within families.
Dr. Lisa Goodman, Boston College Professor: Examines systemic legal barriers and community-based responses to coercive control survivors.
Dr. Anna C. Salter, Psychologist and Author: Specializes in the forensic assessment of offenders to enhance protective measures for child victims.
Dr. David Finkelhor, University of New Hampshire Professor: Directs research on developmental victimology and the global prevalence of child maltreatment.
Prof. Michael Salter, UNSW Professor: Explores the correlations between child sexual abuse material and patterns of coercive domestic violence.
Organizations
- APSAC (American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children) – Interdisciplinary guidance and practice standards on child abuse and neglect, including coercive control contexts.
National Children’s Alliance – Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers supporting coordinated responses to child abuse.
Battered Women’s Justice Project (BWJP) – Research and tools on coercive control, including codification matrices and legal resources.
Futures Without Violence – Training and resources on violence against women and children, including the impact of coercive control.
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) – Policy and education on domestic violence and coercive control.
International Collaborative Against Coercive Control – Global research collaboration on coercive control in law, policy, and practice.
The following authors and organizations have significantly informed our understanding of coercive control and children:
- TOP 10 ESSENTIAL BOOKS
1. Coercive Control: How Men Entrap Women in Personal Life (Second Edition)
Author: Evan Stark
Publisher: Oxford University Press (2023)
Why Read It: Seminal work that reframed domestic violence as a "liberty crime" rather than just assault. Identifies core elements of coercive control— isolation, degradation, micromanagement, manipulation, stalking, threats, and punishment—showing how they systematically entrap women.
2. Children of Coercive Control
Author: Evan Stark
Publisher: Oxford University Press (2024)
Why Read It: Extends Stark's analysis directly to children, identifying coercive control of women as a major cause of child abuse and child fatality. Features children's own voices describing how coercion and control harm them.
3. Coercive Control in Children's and Mothers' Lives
Author: Dr. Emma Katz
Publisher: Oxford University Press (2022)
Why Read It: First book based on interviews with children and mothers about coercive control. Revolutionizes understanding of how children are affected and highlights recovery where new family lives are built on mutual care and respect.
4. Father-Daughter Incest
Author: Dr. Judith Lewis Herman, MD
Publisher: Harvard University Press (1981; new afterword 2000)
Why Read It: Classic, pioneering clinical study of intrafamilial child sexual abuse. Develops a composite picture of the incestuous family and offers an updated overview of knowledge on incest and sexual abuse.
5. Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence—From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror
Author: Dr. Judith Lewis Herman, MD
Publisher: Basic Books (1992; revised 2015)
Why Read It: Foundational text on psychological trauma. Connects domestic abuse and child sexual abuse with political terror, introducing the widely used three-stage model of recovery: safety, remembrance and mourning, and reconnection.
6. APSAC Handbook on Child Maltreatment (Fourth Edition)
Editors: John E.B. Myers and colleagues
Publisher: SAGE Publications (2023)
Why Read It: Comprehensive interdisciplinary handbook on child abuse and neglect from APSAC. Covers etiology, prevention, intervention, treatment, and legal issues, with contributions from leading scholars including David Finkelhor.
7. Treating Incest: A Multimodal Systems Perspective
Editors: Terry S. Trepper and Mary Jo Barrett
Publisher: Routledge (1989)
Why Read It: Classic clinical text for therapists working with intrafamilial child sexual abuse. Provides theoretical background and practical guidance on assessment and treatment.
8. Treating Child Sex Offenders and Victims: A Practical Guide
Author: Anna C. Salter, Ph.D.
Publisher: SAGE Publications (1988)
Why Read It: Groundbreaking clinical guide by a leading expert on sex offender assessment and treatment. Offers practical, evidence-based frameworks for working with both child sex offenders and their victims.
9. Predators: Pedophiles, Rapists, and Other Sex Offenders
Author: Anna C. Salter, Ph.D.
Publisher: Basic Books (2003)
Why Read It: Accessible, in-depth look at who sex offenders are, how they operate, and how to protect children. Draws on interviews with offenders to expose grooming tactics and exploitation of trust.
10. Child Victimization: Violence, Crime, and Abuse in the Lives of Young People
Author: David Finkelhor, Ph.D.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (2008)
Why Read It: Core text introducing "Developmental Victimology"—a framework for understanding children’s multiple forms of victimization. Essential for grasping prevalence, risk factors, and consequences of child sexual abuse within broader victimization.
BONUS RECOMMENDATION
See What You Made Me Do: Power, Control and Domestic Abuse
Author: Jess Hill
Publisher: Black Inc. (2020)
Why Read It: Stella Prize–winning investigation that transformed Australia’s understanding of coercive control, showing how intimidation, surveillance, financial restriction, and psychological manipulation can be more damaging than physical assault.
11. Enough: What Coercive Control Steals. What Recovery Makes Possible
Author: Geoffrey Clow with Georgie Bailey
Publisher: Twinkling of the Soul (2025)
Why Read It: A survival guide for recovery from coercive control and narcissistic abuse, framing these experiences as psychological torture rather than communication problems. Co-written by a trauma-informed counsellor and a survivor whose forty-year story anchors the book, it offers practical tools to reclaim reality, dismantle self-blame, and rebuild trust in your own intuition.
12. Defeating the Giant: A Guide to Recognizing and Healing from Narcissistic Abuse
Author: Dr. Rosanne Nunnery, PhD
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers (2025)
Why Read It: Written by a licensed professional counselor and professor with extensive clinical experience, this book offers a holistic, theory-based approach to understanding and recovering from narcissistic abuse across family systems. Useful for both helping professionals and individuals impacted by parental and relational narcissism.
13. Healing from Narcissistic Abuse
Author: Dr. Daksha Hirani
Publisher: Robinson (Little, Brown Book Group) (2025)
Why Read It: An award-winning, ACT-based guide for anyone who has experienced bullying, coercive control, or narcissistic abuse in intimate, family, or work relationships. Uses trauma-focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help readers move through fear, obligation, and guilt toward recovery.
14. Fake Love: Understanding and Healing from Narcissistic Abuse
Author: Nova Gibson
Publisher: HarperCollins Australia (2023)
Why Read It: A bestselling, practical self-help book that illuminates the lived experience of narcissistic abuse, including coercive control, gaslighting, love bombing, hoovering, and smear campaigns. Draws on clinical work and a global survivor community to offer validation and concrete strategies for safety and healing.
bottom of page