Which of the following is NOT a nonviolent coercive control tactic used in IPV?

• A. Physical violence
• B. Isolation from friends and family
• C. Gaslighting
• D. Controlling information about finances or children

Answer: (A)

Nonviolent coercive control relies on psychological, social, and economic methods to dominate a partner without physical harm. Isolation from friends and family is a classic example: it cuts the person off from support and increases dependence on the abuser. Gaslighting is another: it distorts the victim’s sense of reality, making them doubt themselves and feel they can’t trust their own perceptions. Controlling information about finances or children is about power over resources and decisions, restricting autonomy and daily control.

Physical violence, however, is not a nonviolent tactic. It constitutes violent abuse and is categorized separately from nonviolent forms of coercive control. It may accompany coercive control, but as a tactic it is inherently violent rather than nonviolent.