Exploring domestic violence and mental health

Introduction: Coercive control is a central aspect of domestic violence and became a criminal offence in 2015. Recently attention has focused on the specific role of abusive tactics targeted towards an individual’s mental health. The term ‘mental health coercion’ has been suggested: attempting to undermine a survivor’s mental health, preventing access to, or interfering with treatment, controlling medication, or using their mental health status to discredit them for example in interactions with police or in child-custody decisions. As yet few papers have examined this issue in the peer-reviewed literature.

Method: Qualitative research has the potential to increase understanding of the breadth of experiences of domestic violence and coercive control. Studies were analysed using thematic synthesis (Thomas & Harden, 2008).

Results: The current review identified 32 studies which included reports by female survivors of mental health coercion in the context of domestic violence. Five themes were highlighted: ‘Creating an environment of confusion’, ‘Positioning women as crazy’, ‘Narratives of blame’ ‘Abuses of power’, and ‘Gendered expectations’.

Conclusions: The results suggest that ‘mental health coercion’ was used to create confusion, denigrate, threaten, undermine, and control women, within the context of domestic violence and should be integrated into understandings of coercive control to increase awareness, validate survivor experience, and inform service provision.

Implications: The adoption of a trauma-informed approach within health, social care, family court, and emergency services is recommended.