Concerned about harmful patterns in your relationship?
Women living inside psychological and emotional abuse describe confusion, uncertainty, self-doubt and self-blame. That’s by design.
Coercive control is hidden within identifiable and trackable patterns.
This screener maps your responses across key domains of relational control and returns a scored, personalised result — privately, to your email, within minutes.
Takes 5–10 mins. No cost involved.
An evidence-informed self-report tool developed by Clinical Psychologist, Dee Donaldson (WiseWOMAN Studio) as a support resource for women.
A structured starting point
The Coercive Control Screener is a relational harm mapping tool developed by WiseWOMAN Studio, grounded in the Relationship Clarity Mapping framework and built on evidence from intimate partner abuse and coercive control research.
WiseWOMAN Studio offers this tool at no cost as a values-based service to support women in developing their awareness and to build self-trust in identifying coercive control and psychological abuse tactics in intimate partner relationships.
Completing the screening tool takes only 5-10 minutes and asks you to reflect on your experiences and the patterns within your current or recent relationship.
Once submitted it generates a personalised interpretation of your responses so you can better understand what may be happening, or what may have happened, and describes the specific categories of harm that you have experienced.
It focuses on what happens to you over time.
The Coercive Control Screener helps you begin to:
Identify specific patterns of harmful or controlling behaviour you may be experiencing or may have experienced
Distinguish between normal relationship difficulties and patterns of coercion, manipulation, or control
Understand why you may feel confused, stuck, anxious, depressed, or feel unable to trust your own judgement
Recognise the effects of trauma bonding, gaslighting on your perception and decision-making
Move from confusion toward clarity on your own terms
This is not a diagnosis. It is not therapy. But it is a structured way to begin cutting through the fog.
The Coercive Control Screener is for you if...
You are still in a relationship and:
You feel confused about whether what you're experiencing from your partner’s behaviour is "healthy" or harmful
You've been told by your partner that you're too sensitive, too demanding, or the problem — and you're starting to believe it
You suspect something is wrong but can't articulate what it is
You want a private, structured way to begin making sense of things — without having to explain your situation to anyone yet
You have recently left a relationship and:
You left the relationship weeks or months ago but still feel confused about what happened
You swing between relief and self-doubt, sometimes wondering whether you made the right decision
You find yourself missing the person or the relationship despite knowing it was harmful
You're struggling with the cognitive dissonance that comes after leaving — the gap between what you know and what you feel
You want to understand why it's so hard to stay clear-headed, and why the pull back feels so strong
The Coercive Control Screening Tool is designed for women aged 18 and over who want a structured, private, evidence-informed starting point — whether they are ready to take action or simply ready to start seeing things more clearly.
Before you begin: a note about safety
The Coercive Control Screener should only be completed if you are able to do so safely, privately, and where there is no imminent risk to you or to anyone else.
If there is any possibility that your computer or device is being monitored or recorded, it is strongly recommended that you do not complete the tracker at this time. Your safety is a priority and it matters.
If you are experiencing significant distress or are in crisis, please reach out to your support network, a local crisis service, or emergency services before proceeding.
In an emergency, call 000.
For 24/7 support: 1800RESPECT — 1800 737 732
Ready to start seeing things more clearly?
You don't need to have all the answers. You don't need to have made any decisions. You just need to be willing to look at what's happening — or what happened — with a clear framework.
The Coercive Control Screener gives you a starting point.
Still have questions?
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The Coercive Control Screener was developed by Clinical Psychologist, Dee Donaldson, Founder of WiseWOMAN Studio using the Relationship Clarity Mapping framework. Dee utilised her training as a Clinical Psychologist and as a former police officer with over 25 years experience working with women who have experienced coercively abusive relationships to develop an evidence-informed, non-clinical educational framework designed to help women to identify, understand, and track patterns of harmful behaviour and coercive control in relationships.
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No. The screener is an educational self-report tool. It was intentionally designed as a non-pathologising framework. It does not produce a clinical score, diagnosis, or treatment recommendation. It is not a psychological instrument. Your results reflect your self-reported responses related to your relationship experience, not a professional evaluation or opinion.
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After you submit your responses, a personalised interpretation is emailed to the address you provide — typically within a few minutes. Your interpretation includes an explanation of what your responses may indicate and a list of relevant support resources.
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No. Your email address is used solely to deliver your results and for emails related to WiseWOMAN Studio only. It is not used for marketing purposes outside of WiseWOMAN Studio. No individual responses are reviewed by a person. You may optionally consent to the collection of de-identified data for research purposes to refine the Coercive Control Screener — this is entirely voluntary and does not affect your access to the screener or your results.
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Yes. The Coercive Control Screener is specifically designed for women who aren't sure. You don't need to have labelled your experience. The purpose is to help you see the patterns more clearly — whatever conclusion you reach regarding your relationship is yours.
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Yes. Many women find that confusion and doubt intensifies after leaving, particularly when trauma bonding is involved. For some women, post-separation coercive control behaviours continue beyond the end of a relationship.
The tracker asks you to reflect on the 3–6 months prior to the relationship ending. It is equally relevant for women who have recently left and are working through self-doubt, cognitive dissonance, or the pull to return.
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If you are in immediate danger, call the emergency services contact number for the region you are located within. For Australia, call 000 or 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732.
The screener is not a crisis or risk evaluation tool and is not a substitute for safety planning or emergency support.
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The screener is designed for use by women aged 18 years and over. If you are under 18, you are encouraged to speak with a trusted adult or contact a youth support or crisis service.
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The screener is designed to be a self-contained starting point. You may choose to sit with what you've learned, seek professional support, or continue to increase your awareness of recognising and mapping the patterns of coercive control by registering your interest in completing the Relationship Clarity Mapping Program with WiseWOMAN Studio.
What the screener is and isn’t:
The Coercive Control Screener is an educational self-report screening tool. It is not:
A clinical or psychological assessment. It does not assess, diagnose, or treat any mental health condition. It is not a psychological diagnostic instrument and does not replace clinical evaluation.
A diagnosis of any kind. Your results reflect your self-reported responses. They do not confirm, establish, or substantiate the presence of any clinical condition or criminal offence.
Therapy or counselling. Completing the screening tool does not constitute a therapeutic relationship of any kind. Nor does it substitute for seeking support from a qualified mental health professional.
Legal advice or evidence. The screening tool does not provide legal guidance regarding domestic violence, family law, or intervention orders. Your results should not be used as evidence in any legal, clinical, or institutional proceeding.
A replacement for professional support. If you are experiencing domestic or family violence, psychological abuse, or coercive control, WiseWOMAN Studio encourages you to seek support from a qualified professional or specialist service. We recognise that professional support is not always accessible or desired, and the tracker is intended as a resource for women seeking greater understanding and clarity but does not replace individualised professional care where that’s needed.
A crisis intervention or risk assessment tool. If you are in immediate danger, please contact 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or call 000. If you are experiencing significant distress, please reach out to a crisis service or your support network before completing the screening tool. Further contacts may be found here:
WiseWOMAN Studio is an independent educational platform. It is not a clinical practice and does not provide individual psychological services.
Disclaimer
Content provided by WiseWOMAN Studio, including the Coercive Control Screener and the Relationship Clarity Mapping program, are for educational and informational purposes only. They do not provide therapy, medical, psychological, or legal advice.
The Coercive Control Screener does not assess, diagnose, or confirm any clinical condition, mental health disorder, or criminal offence behaviour. Results represent a reflection of self-reported responses, not a professional evaluation or opinion. Results should not be interpreted as professional advice of any kind and should not be used as evidence in any legal, clinical, or institutional proceeding.
If you are experiencing domestic or family violence, contact 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or visit [1800respect.org.au](https://www.1800respect.org.au). In an emergency, call 000.
WiseWOMAN Studio is not a clinical practice. It does not provide psychological services and is not affiliated with any individual clinician's practice. Completion or purchase of any content provided by WiseWOMAN Studio or its associates does not constitute or infer a therapeutic relationship.
The Coercive Control Screener, including all items, scoring methodology, interpretive frameworks, and associated materials, is the proprietary intellectual property of WiseWOMAN Studio. All rights reserved.
© Donna-Marie Donaldson trading as WiseWOMAN Studio. All content, including the Relationship Clarity Mapping (RCMF)™ program and all associated materials, is protected by copyright and intellectual property law. All rights reserved.