NOTE: This post differs from DVSN’s normal blog content in several ways. It is an extensive exploration of both professional accomplishments and quite personal details in the life of DVSN’s Executive Director, Jacquelin Apsler, who only agreed to this profile if it...
Upon hearing the term “domestic violence”, what first comes to most people’s minds is physical abuse. In fact, until MA Bill H.4744 added coercive control in September 2024, Massachusetts’ legal definition of domestic violence focused exclusively on physical abuse and...
Abuse is not always easy to recognize. While some forms of abuse leave obvious bruises or hateful words ringing in the victim’s ears, there are other stealthy techniques abusers use to influence and control their victims so that they don’t even notice it is happening....
The basis of any abusive relationship can be distilled to two core tenets: power and control. Abusers use a variety of tactics to control their victims and exert power over them. These can manifest in many ways, but ultimately, they demonstrate an imbalance in the...
