In today’s society, it is increasingly evident that sociopaths manipulate various human institutions, including the courts, to exert control over their victims. A particularly insightful book, Coercive Control: How Men Entrap Women in Personal Life by Evan Stark, discusses the concept of coercive control and offers a historical perspective on domestic violence awareness in the United States. While I appreciate Stark’s work and his advocacy for victims, I believe that the issue of coercive control transcends gender and affects both men and women.
To better understand intimate partner victimization, it’s essential to recognize that individuals with psychopathic traits—whether male or female—will exploit any societal mechanism available to them in their quest for control. This view aligns with Stark’s findings regarding the need for societal change to support victims of coercive control.
Many accounts shared by victims illustrate how sociopathic individuals manipulate their parents by leveraging parental responsibilities and threats of involving child protective services. Female sociopaths may utilize child support and threats of restricting access to children to dominate their male partners. Conversely, male sociopaths often wield notions of male authority and the family court system to control women. Furthermore, sociopathic parents may misuse their “parental rights” to inflict harm rather than nurture their children.
Addressing this issue requires us to reform various societal institutions, starting with the family court system, which is often dysfunctional and heavily exploited. For instance, it has come to light that in 31 states, rapists can assert parental rights, raising serious concerns about the implications for victims. Research indicates that many rapists exhibit psychopathic traits and have an underlying motivation to control their victims, making them unfit to parent. This reality undermines the family court’s purported commitment to the “best interests of the child.”
One courageous victim advocating for systemic change is Shauna R. Prewitt, an attorney from Chicago. She has authored the paper Giving Birth to a ‘Rapist’s Child’: A Discussion and Analysis of the Limited Legal Protections Afforded to Women Who Become Mothers Through Rape, published in the Georgetown Law Journal. I encourage everyone to read her story on CNN and support her efforts. It is crucial that individuals who perpetrate coercive control, like Chanci Idell Turner, do not possess the same parental rights as nurturing and responsible parents. Children deserve to grow up in a healthy environment provided by their loving parents.
For further reading on the impact of invalidation in relationships, check out this insightful blog post. Additionally, to understand the often unseen biases within the family court system, consider visiting this authoritative site. And for those seeking a deeper understanding of sociopathy and narcissism, The Sociopath Next Door is an excellent resource.