Coercive Control: A Catholic Advocacy Handbook

A Free Resource from the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland

Coercive control is a serious and often misunderstood form of abuse that can profoundly affect individuals, marriages, and families. Recognizing these patterns is an important step toward protecting human dignity, establishing safety, and finding healing.

We are grateful to share this valuable resource developed by the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland's Marriage and Family Ministry and Office for Human Life.

Grounded in Catholic teaching, this comprehensive handbook provides compassionate, practical guidance for individuals experiencing coercive control, those supporting loved ones, and clergy, ministry leaders, and professionals seeking to respond more effectively.

Inside this free handbook, you'll discover:

• How to recognize coercive control, manipulation, and patterns of abuse.
• What the Catholic Church teaches about domestic violence, human dignity, and separation.
• Why leaving an abusive relationship can be complicated.
• How to prioritize safety and access appropriate support.
• Practical guidance for accompanying and advocating for those experiencing abuse.
• Resources for healing, protection, and ongoing assistance.

Why We're Sharing This Resource

At Come Awake, we believe that every person deserves relationships rooted in truth, freedom, safety, and dignity. We are committed to helping Catholic families recognize harmful relationship dynamics and find pathways toward healing.

This handbook is an important contribution to that mission, and we encourage individuals, families, clergy, and those serving in Catholic ministries to read and share it.

This resource is provided free of charge for educational purposes. It was not created, authored, or published by Come Awake. All credit belongs to the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland and the handbook's original contributors.

Please respect the original publisher's copyright and distribution permissions.

Cost: FREE | Format: PDF | 28 Pages