There is a need for tools to taxonomically catalogue, the various strategies used for abuse in polyamory and account for how they present in non-monogamous relationships. The Duluth Wheel of Power and Control is one such tool: a visual resource to aid us in a comprehensive understanding of the tactics used by abusers, and how these tactics interact to maintain control and power in a relationship. Poly Pages has been committed to creating a better understanding of abuse in polyamory. This model for abuse is patterned off of The Duluth Wheel of Power and Control. The model outlines examples in all eight areas of the Wheel of Power and Control, which are tactics used by abusers to maintain abusive situations in which sexual and physical violence become normalised.
History: In 1984, staff at the Domestic Abuse Intervention Project (DAIP) in Duluth, Minnesota began developing a curricula for groups on "men who batter and victims of domestic violence". They wanted a way to describe "battering" for victims, offenders, practitioners in the criminal justice system and the general public. Over several months, and through many focus groups with women who had been "battered" they documented the most common abusive behaviours or tactics that were used against these women. The tactics chosen for the wheel were those that were most universally experienced by victims of domestic assault and violence. The wheel is a product of it's time and so uses highly gendered languages, as-well as being very mono- and hetero- normative. This is a deliberate and concious choice by the DAIP who claims that the week "does not attempt to give a broad understanding of all violence in the home or community but instead offers a more precise explanation of the tactics men use to batter women."
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emotional abuse
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threats
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economic abuse
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using children
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denial and blame
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intimidation
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isolation
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using privilege
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Abuse [in Polyamory]A global, live panel discussion 17th April 2021 10am LA | 12 Noon CHI | 1pm NYC | 6pm LON| 7pm PAR Ticketed Live Event Sliding Scale Prices (see below for details) |
Abuse can happen in any relationship, whether you have one partner, two partners, or even more. A polyamorous or non-monogamous relationship is not any more or less likely to be abusive than a monogamous one. Even though poly relationships are not inherently abusive, having multiple partners can create unique situations that abusive people may exploit.
Poly Pages is facilitating a global live event, featuring three polyamorous, seasoned sex and relationship coaches: Alicia Bunyan-Sampson, Eve Rickert and Sydney Raechin. This global event promises to outline what Abuse can look like in polyamory, how we can talk about it, and ways that we can respond to abuse in our relationships and in our communities. Our Early Bird Supporters, on Patreon, have access to this event for free (although are encouraged to tip) |