Isolation to facilitate abuse

Abuse tactic

This article duplicates the scope of other articles, specifically Sexual grooming. Please discuss this issue and help introduce a summary style to the article. (February 2024)

Isolation (physical, social or emotional) is often used to facilitate power and control over someone for an abusive purpose. This applies in many contexts such as workplace bullying, elder abuse, domestic abuse, child abuse, and cults.

Isolation reduces the opportunity of the abused to be rescued or escape from the abuse. It also helps disorient the abused and makes the abused more dependent on the abuser. The degree of power and control over the abused is contingent upon the degree of their physical or emotional isolation.

Isolation of the victim from the outside world is an important element of psychological control. Isolation includes controlling a person's social activity: whom they see, whom they talk to, where they go and any other method to limit their access to others. It may also include limiting what material is read. It can include insisting on knowing where they are and requiring permission for medical care. The abuser exhibits hypersensitive and reactive jealousy.

Isolation can be aided by:

economic abuse thus limiting the victim's actions as they may then lack the necessary resources to resist or escape from the abuse
smearing or discrediting the abused amongst their community so the abused does not get help or support from others
divide and conquer

In cults

Main article: Cults

Various isolation techniques may be used by cults:

separating from family and community
taking control of the handling of the victim's resources and property
undoing (mind control)
physical isolation
extortion/dependency tactics
controlling victim's access to necessities.

In workplace bullying

Main article: Workplace bullying

Isolation is a common element of workplace bullying. It includes preventing access to opportunities, physical or social isolation, withholding necessary information, keeping the target "out of the loop", ignoring or excluding.

Workplace isolation is a defined category in the workplace power and control wheel.

References

^ Rayner C, Hoel H, Cooper CL Workplace Bullying: What we know, who is to blame and what can we do? (2001)
^ Peyton PR Dignity at Work: Eliminate Bullying and Create a Positive Working Environment (2003)
"What is Elder Abuse?". CANHR. 2016-04-26. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
National Research Council (US) Panel to Review Risk Prevalence of Elder Abuse Neglect; Bonnie, R. J.; Wallace, R. B. (2003). Appendix B: Analysis of Elder Abuse and Neglect Definitions Under State Law | Elder Mistreatment: Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation in an Aging America | The National Academies Press. Nap.edu. doi:10.17226/10406. ISBN 978-0-309-08434-5. PMID 22812026. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
"Intimate Partner Violence and Common Tactics Used by Abusive Partners | Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center". Sapac.umich.edu. 1999-02-22. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
Perspectives on Verbal and Psychological Abuse, ed. Dr. Roland Maiuro, PhD, pub. 1989
Elliott GC, Cunningham SM, Linder M, Colangelo M, Gross M (2005). "Child physical abuse and self-perceived social isolation among adolescents". Journal of Interpersonal Violence. 20 (12): 1663–84. doi:10.1177/0886260505281439. PMID 16246923. S2CID 27544550.
"Emotional abuse". NSPCC. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
"Cult Information Centre: Caring for Cult Victims". Cultinformation.org.uk. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
"How Cults Work". Cultwatch. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
Ellsberg, Daniel (1959-03-10). "The Theory and Practice of Blackmail". RAND. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
Ryan Richard Thoreson (2010-06-02). "Blackmail and Extortion of LGBT People in Sub-Saharan Africa | OutRight". Outrightinternational.org. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
^ Global and regional estimates of violence against women: prevalence and health effects of intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence. World Health Organization. 2013. ISBN 978-92-4-156462-5. p. 7.
Power and Control. Duluth Model. Retrieved April 19, 2014.
Economic abuse wheel
Bailey-Rug C (2016) It's Not You, It's Them: When People Are More Than Selfish
Joseph Burgo (2016) The Narcissist You Know: Defending Yourself Against Extreme Narcissists in an All-About-Me Age
Hall J It’s You and Me Baby: Narcissist Head Games The Narcissist Family Files 27 Mar 2017
"9 Ways Groups Become Cults". Criminal Justice Degrees Guide. 2016-09-25. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
"Isolation - Cult Mind Control Techniques". Retrieved 2016-10-01.
Power & Control in the Workplace Archived 2016-03-28 at the Wayback Machine American Institute on Domestic Violence

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Related topics	Abusive supervision Abuse of power Controlling behavior Child grooming Complex post-traumatic stress disorder Dehumanization Denial Destabilisation Discrimination Exaggeration Isolation Just-world hypothesis Lying Manipulation Minimisation Narcissism Playing the victim Psychological projection Psychological trauma Psychopathy Rationalization Traumatic bonding Victim blaming Victimisation Victimology

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Psychological	Bullying Deny, attack, and reverse victim and offender (DARVO) Economic abuse Embarrassment/Humiliation Emotional blackmail False accusation Gaslighting Intimidation Isolation Major depressive disorder Mind games Nagging Narcissistic abuse Passive-aggressive behavior Setting up to fail Silent treatment Stalking Verbal abuse

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Documentaries	A Better Man The Conspiracy of Silence Defending Our Lives Power and Control: Domestic Violence in America Silent Voices Sin by Silence
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