Predictors of the public's attitudes towards coercive control in LGBTQ and heterosexual relationships

In summary, thus far, research into attitudes towards abuse and the development of abusive behaviours has tended to focus on sexual and physical types, with little attention paid to psychological forms of coercive control. The limited research that has examined predictors of attitudes towards psychological forms of coercive control (Lagdon et al., 2021) has focused exclusively on individual level predictors (e.g. gender) of attitudes towards coercive control in heterosexual relationships, with no focus on the broader determinants or on LGBTQ victims. The present research aims to improve our understanding of the individual, relational, community and societal determinants of attitudes towards coercive control that is psychological in nature. We will also focus on the public’s ability to recognize the risks associated with coercive control in LGBTQ relationships. Such understanding will feed into the design of future interventions which aim improve attitudes and awareness of coercive control so that victims can more readily identify when they need help and be comfortable turning to their friends, family, statutory and non-statutory services for support.