Idaho Coercive Control Initiative

04/14/2026

Explore DARVO and its role in coercive control as we analyze recent political events and manipulation tactics.

04/13/2026

04/08/2026

In the world of professional safety, we don't guess if a situation is dangerous—we use a Risk Assessment Matrix.

Did you know that Idaho Judges have their own version of this for Civil Protection Orders (CPOs)? It’s called a Bench Card, and the updated 2024 version explicitly tells judges that Coercive Control is a high-risk indicator for lethality.

Why This Matters to You
When you are in front of a judge, you aren't just "sharing your story." You are providing data for a risk assessment. The Idaho Supreme Court instructs judges to look for specific behaviors that indicate a system of control, including:

• Isolation Tactics: Controlling who you see and where you go.
• Unauthorized Surveillance: Constant monitoring or stalking.
• Economic Entrapment: Withholding funds or sabotaging your job.
• Threats of Self-Harm: Using their own safety to control your actions.

Courtroom Strategy
As a survivor, your goal is to bridge the gap between your experience and the judge's checklist.

1. Download the Card: Look at the 2024-02 Civil Protection Order Bench Card.
2. Highlight the Matches: Identify which behaviors the respondent has shown that match the court's own "Defendant Risk" list.
3. Speak the Language: Use terms like "pattern of conduct," "lethality indicator," and "coercive control."
4. Document every coercive control action in a journal, with the date, time, and a brief description of the incident (kept somewhere safe)

Advocacy Tip: Many legal professionals may still push for "Mutual No-Contact Orders." But if the respondent's behavior matches these bench card indicators, a mutual order is a failure of risk management. You have the right to point to the court's own standards to advocate for a permanent CPO.

Safety is a protocol, not a suggestion. Let's make sure Idaho’s courts are following their own rules.

04/03/2026

Understanding the Architecture of Abuse
Safety isn’t just about the absence of physical harm—it’s about the presence of freedom. To kick off The Month of Awareness for the Abuse of Power and Control this March, we are diving deep into one of the most vital tools in the world of advocacy: The Duluth Model Power and Control Wheel.

While physical and sexual violence are often the most recognizable signs of abuse (the outer ring of the wheel), they are often used to reinforce the more subtle, daily tactics of coercive control found in the "spokes."

Our Weekly Series
Over the next two months, we will break down each of these 8 spokes one by one. Understanding these tactics is the first step toward reclaiming autonomy and identifying risks before they escalate.

• This Week: We are looking at the big picture—how these different methods of domination work together to trap a survivor in a "web" of compliance.

Whether you are navigating the Idaho court system or trying to make sense of your own environment, remember: If it feels like a system of control, it is.

Join the conversation: Which of these "spokes" do you feel is the most misunderstood by our local legal and social systems?



Adapted for educational use from DOMESTIC ABUSE INTERVENTION PROGRAMS, Duluth, MN. www.theduluthmodel.org

04/03/2026

The 8 stages of Coercive Control

04/03/2026

The 8 stages of Coercive Control

04/03/2026

Welcome to the Idaho Coercive Control Initiative.

Safety is more than the absence of physical harm; it is the presence of freedom.

For over 20 years, I have dedicated my career to safety and human resources—identifying risks, building protections, and ensuring people are secure in their environments. But I’ve learned firsthand that our systems have a significant blind spot: coercive control.

This is a strategic pattern of domination, isolation, and psychological manipulation that often leaves no physical marks but leaves lives in ruins.

I founded the Idaho Coercive Control Initiative, LLC because the current legal and social frameworks in our state often fail to recognize these invisible patterns. Whether you are navigating the court system, a workplace, or your own home, you shouldn't have to explain why "non-physical" doesn't mean "non-violent."

My journey of escaping coercive control and navigating the Idaho legal system is ongoing. It is complex, with limited resources to protect those who have been utterly destroyed by this “invisible” abuse. I hope by sharing my story and the challenges of navigating the Idaho legal system will help protect those who are currently suffering.

What you can expect from this page:
• Education: Breaking down the tactics of coercive control so they can be identified and named.
• Advocacy: Pushing for systemic and legislative change right here in Idaho.
• Resources: Guidance for survivors navigating the complexities of Civil Protection Orders and the legal system.
• Community: A space where your experience is validated and your voice is heard.

I am turning my professional expertise and my personal journey into a mission to ensure no one in Idaho has to navigate this web alone. I am just beginning this foray into social media to help this cause so please be patient as I continue to find resources!

Will you join me? Please like, follow, and share this page to help us bring these "invisible" patterns into the light.