The Psychology of Control
From Homes to Nations: The Universal Struggle for Autonomy.
This page explores a profound concept: that the desire to control another person is the same destructive force that drives larger conflicts. This is not to minimize any individual's experience, but to validate it by connecting it to a universal human struggle.
This is a core insight from our founder. At its heart, domestic abuse is a war over sovereignty. It's an invasion of personal territory, a campaign to overthrow a person's right to self-govern. The abuser seeks to control resources (finances), borders (isolation), and the state itself (your mind and body).
When you view it this way, your personal struggle is not small or insignificant. It is a fight against the same fundamental force that drives armies and topples nations: the desire to exert power and control over another.
- Isolation: Cutting off access to friends and family.
- Economic Abuse: Controlling finances and limiting independence.
- Psychological Warfare: Gaslighting and emotional manipulation to erode reality.
- Physical Force: Using violence to enforce dominance.
- Closing Borders: Controlling the movement of people and information.
- Sanctions & Embargoes: Controlling resources to cripple an economy.
- Propaganda: Using disinformation to control the narrative.
- Military Action: Using violence to achieve political goals.
Understanding this parallel can be incredibly empowering. It reframes your journey not just as one of survival, but as an act of profound resistance.
Setting a boundary, opening a private bank account, documenting an incident, or leaving an abusive situation are all acts of reclaiming your personal sovereignty. You are not just a victim; you are a nation of one, fighting for your right to be free. And that is a war worth winning.