Women’s preferences for how health practitioners respond to coercive control by a partner: Open-ended survey qualitative analysis

An open-ended question in an online survey asked women who had experienced coercive control: 'What words could your health practitioner say that you would find helpful and supportive?'. Responses (n = 682) were analysed using directed content analysis. Findings align with two global frameworks: LIVES (Listen-Inquire-Validate-Enhance safety-Support) and CARE (Choice and control-Action and advocacy-Recognition and understanding-Emotional connection). Specific script health messaging is provided for healthcare practitioners to use in conversations with victim-survivors of intimate partner violence, including to counter coercively controlling tactics by abusive partners. Findings re-inforce the need for health practitioners to provide a sensitive first-line response, with tailored messaging to counteract affects of coercive control. Training and system support are needed to build health practitioner capacity to identify and respond to coercive control in the context of intimate partner violence.