Whether experiencing one tactic or many, all tactics are destructive and traumatizing. Some women experience one tactic while others experience several. The tactics can be subtle or more obvious. Many victims are unaware that the harm they are experiencing is abusive, so empowering them by giving it a name as well as providing examples and correct vocabulary may be the first necessary step to clarifying their situation and leading them into a journey of healing.Abused women and girls identify one or more tactics used by their abuser to gain and maintain power and control over them. These behaviors are the spokes of the wheel. A batterer systematically uses threats, intimidation, and coercion to instill fear in his partner. That is why the words power and control are in the center of the wheel. Each of the sections of the wheel containing examples of overt abuse can also show up in more subtle ways, which is an important distinction to make, especially when working with, helping or ministering to individuals who may be in an abusive relationship and not know it.įor responders, which qualifies as anyone who has the opportunity to interact with an abuse victim, understanding the Power and Control wheel and being able to present it to victims in the right contexts can bring clarity to their situation. It is characterized by the pattern of actions that an individual uses to intentionally control or dominate his intimate partner. Its effect is compounded when done in front of others.Ĭovert manifestations of power and control like these can be even more harmful because they are less likely to be recognized as abusive by the victim and even outsiders which means the abuse could carry on undetected for a long time. Picking on something that is sensitive for the spouse like calling them “thunder thighs,” “horse face,” or any other nickname that is not aimed to endear and is not uplifting, when done over and over is extremely emotionally abusive. A husband calling his wife the “B” word is clearly wrong, but it is also wrong for someone to name call or put down their spouse by focusing on their insecurities, expression of emotions, or by making fun of their appearance. These can be administered in a covert way that not all observers and responders may immediately think of as abuse. These seemingly subtle forms of covert abuse expressions should not be dismissed or considered less harmful than overt abuse: Covert Emotional Abuse can be equally devastating to the victim, leading to severe physical and psychological distress.įor instance, the “using emotional abuse” section of the wheel mentions put-downs and name-calling as forms of abuse. It’s critical to note that while the wheel shown above focuses on more obvious and extreme abuses, such as threatening to hurt her, keeping her away from her friends, playing mind games, etc., some of these tactics can be much more subtle. The Power and Control Wheel, developed by the Domestic Abuse Intervention Project of Duluth, Minnesota, describes the many types of abuse suffered by victims of. Even just one abusive tactic shown in the wheel that is repeated throughout a relationship is enough to define an abusive relationship. If anyone or multiple elements of the Power and Control Wheel are being used by one of the partners, they are taking an abusive, dominant stance instead of a loving, respectful attitude.

In a healthy relationship, couples compromise through authentic and vulnerable conversations, where each individual feels safe asserting their thoughts and feelings. The Power and Control wheel developed by the Domestic Abuse Intervention Project in Deluth, Minnesota shows the various tactics of abuse that batterers use to control.

The forms of abuse laid out within the wheel reveal different ways abusers try to dismantle their victims and keep things out of balance.

Although the examples in this particular Power and Control Wheel focus on male abuse against women, overt and covert abuse can be wielded by anyone in any relationship, and there are different examples of the wheel available that demonstrate how it can manifest differently for other genders or groups of people. Several different organizations and foundations have created their own version of the Power and Control Wheel, but in this blog we are using the wheel created by the Domestic Abuse Intervention Programs.

Power and control wheel