Everything is here, arranged chronologically. If you want to understand how things unfolded, how the control started, how it escalated, how it ended, and what came after, this is the clearest path.
The Relationship
Month Two: My Son’s Birthday
He knew I couldn’t leave my child in bed alone… didn’t he? Did he really want me to chose him over my son? He kept saying he didn’t want to worry me. But every message did exactly that…
“I’ll Call My Parents”
He began to threaten to call his parents to come and get him away from me, like I was unstable and dangerous, like he needed rescuing from me…
“You’ve got worms in your head”
Worms in my head, when I forgot something. Crazy, when I cried. Liar, when my memory didn’t line up with his version of events…
Month Six: Sprained Ankle
Coercive control often begins quietly, with moments that seem absurd in hindsight, but they’re the first signs that your autonomy is being eroded piece by piece.