COVID-19 and sheltering in place: The experiences of coercive control for college students returning home

ABSTRACT

After months of people sheltering in place, whether due to formal orders or to protect themselves from COVID-19, we have seen evidence of increases in Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). IPV, already a significant social justice issue worldwide, has been brought to the forefront during the pandemic, with many victims needing to be in confined spaces with their abusers. This chapter explores the experiences of sheltering in place for returning college students exposed to coercive control. It examines how coercive control, often intensified in post-separation abuse (PSA) and, where children are involved, parental alienation (PA), frequently manifests within families. Children have in the past been termed "secondary victims" of IPV, but this chapter will demonstrate how they should be considered primary victims of coercive control alongside their victimized parent. The particular challenges college students face during the COVID-19 pandemic when coercive control and PA are at issue will be delineated, and the many areas needing further research and exploration will be highlighted. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)