Moral Injury and Self-Blame in Coercive Control: Research on Existential and Identity-Based Harm

Dr Elizabeth Dalgarno is a lecturer and researcher in women and children’s health and justice at the University of Manchester, UK, and the founder and director of the global SHERA Research Group. She is a world-leading academic expert in her core area of research - how coercive control and post-separation abuse, especially in the family courts, impacts women and children.

Elizabeth specialises in the harms caused by institutions and male-perpetrated abuse, as well as the safety, protection and recovery of mothers and children. All posts contain content you may find upsetting - resources for support are available here.

This post delves into the brilliant work emerging on moral injury - participating in, witnessing or being unable to prevent actions that violate deeply held moral beliefs - in victims of domestic violence and coercive control and what clinicians and other professionals should now do to support these victim-survivors in their recovery.