Abusive Men’s Indirect Control of Their Partner During the Process of Separation

Abstract

The current study evaluates the impact of prior controlling behavior and physical abuse on indirect abuse during the process of separation. The sample includes women in the New York City family court system from 2002 to 2005 who had at least one child with the male she was obtaining an order of protection against. Stepwise logistic regression was used to determine the impact of prior physical abuse and controlling behavior on if the abusive partner told lies to the children, kept the children longer or contacted the woman's family or friends over the follow-up period. Women experienced a decline in the occurrence of physical abuse but did not experience the same decline in controlling behaviors over the follow-up period. Level of education and employment status of the couple may be more appropriate predictors of later indirect abuse over the process of separation than prior physical abuse and controlling behavior.

Indirect Abuse Involving Children During the Separation Process

“…Earlier research has produced inconsistent findings on the impact of education and employment on risk of indirect abuse and was influenced by the type of indirect abuse reported (Hayes, 2012). Covert behaviors, like threats or telling lies to the children, may be more attractive or available to the abuser than overt behaviors, like harming or taking the children.…”

“…While rates of indirect abuse have been high for samples that included only separated respondents (Beeble et al, 2007;Hayes, 2012), the current study was the first to examine if separated mothers are at an increased risk of threats of indirect abuse involving the children compared with mothers still in a relationship with their abusive partner. Separation increased the odds of threats of indirect abuse involving the children.…”

“…The majority of women recruited from a community-based agency that provided short-term support for intimate partner violence victims after police intervention, shelter services, or filing a protection order reported their abusive partner used their children against them (Beeble, Bybee, & Sullivan, 2007). A sample of court-involved women have reported similarly high estimates during initial interviews with almost a quarter of the sample reporting the behavior was ongoing over a 6-month follow-up period (Hayes, 2012). In the most extreme cases, the abuser may become violent and harm the children, especially during a visitation (Beeble et al, 2007).…”

“…Previous work on indirect abuse has not compared risk across those who have separated from their abuser with those still in a relationship (see Beeble et al, 2007;Hayes, 2012). Instead, the frequency and type of threats of indirect abuse has been measured among separated respondents.…”

“…Alternatively, if the couple does not have children together, the abusive partner may use family, friends, or pets in a similar manner. Using third parties as proxies to manipulate, control, and monitor an abused partner, especially during the process of separation, has been referred to as indirect abuse (Hayes, 2012). For instance, the abuser may make threats against third parties, intimidate or manipulate them into engaging in behaviors desired by the abuser.…”