Facts for Safety — News & Updates

When the Victim's Reaction Becomes the Evidence: How Welfare Agencies Can Unknowingly Reinforce Coercive Control

When the Victim's Reaction Becomes the Evidence: How Welfare Agencies Can Unknowingly Reinforce Coercive Control

Guest: Caroline Balinska
Published on: 22/10/2026

The Five Stages of Institutional Narrative Manipulation When narrative manipulation forms part of a wider pattern of coercive control, it can follow a recognisable cycle.

coercive controlpost-separation abusepsychological abuseinstitutional abusenarrative manipulationchild protection agenciesparental conflictdomestic violencefamily court biascoercive control and child custody
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The Myth of the “Good Victim”

The Myth of the “Good Victim”

Guest: Caroline Balinska
Published on: 16/12/2025

There is an unspoken rule in our society — and especially in systems that claim to protect women — about what a “real” victim should look like. She should be calm, but distressed. Presentable, but not vain. Emotional, but not angry. Shaken, but still polite. She should look like she prepared for the worst moment of her life.

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This section publishes news, updates, and analysis related to evidence-based safety decision-making in child protection and domestic violence response systems.

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