The role of coercive control in sexual relationships - with Christiane Sanderson

The Role of Coercive Control in Sexual Relationships: from flirting and banter to sexual harassment and rape – with Christiane Sanderson

With increased disclosure and reporting of sexual harassment, this training aims to explore the spectrum of sexual violence from flirting and banter to sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual abuse and rape. It will examine how coercive control and the abuse of power and authority manifest in sexual violence. The workshop will identify the range of behaviours seen in sexual violence and how these manifest in perpetrators. In particular, the use of shame and complicity to ensure secrecy and silence which prevent survivors from giving voice to, or being able to legitimise their experiences.

The role of shame further serves to reduce disclosure and reporting of sexual violence. With this in mind, the workshop will explore ways in which professionals and practitioners can facilitate disclosure and support survivors through the process of voicing their experiences, and minimise the risk of further re-traumatisation and secondary stigmatisation.

Throughout the training day the range of sexual violence including the various forms of adult rape, transgender rape, as well as rape and sexually harmful behaviour perpetrated by children, will be considered. Alongside this, the impact of rape and sexual violence on victims and the long term effects on survivors will be examined and contextualised within a trauma framework. The aim is to enhance awareness and understanding of the nature and dynamics of rape and sexual violence. It will also demonstrate how professionals and practitioners can help to restore power and control to survivors and help them to reclaim their voice without fear of being stigmatised or pathologised, so that they can recover and heal.

Topics covered include…

• Distinguishing between terms and definitions.
• When does flirting or banter become sexual harassment?
• The range of sexual violence.
• Understanding the role of power and control in sexual violence.
• Unpacking use of charm, grooming and gaslighting to exert coercive control.
• Examine the full spectrum of sexual assault and rape and sexually harmful behaviour in children.
• The use of shame and complicity to ensure silence and secrecy.
• Barriers to disclosure and how this can be facilitated.
• The risk of stigmatisation and re-traumatisation by others, such as family and friends, the media and the criminal justice system.
• The impact and long term effects of sexual violence and rape.
• The importance of contextualising sexual violence and rape within a trauma framework.
• How to minimise re-traumatisation and secondary stigmatisation.
• How professionals and practitioners can facilitate disclosure and support survivors through the process of recovery and healing and recovery.

Christiane Sanderson

Christiane Sanderson BSc MSc is a senior lecturer in Psychology at the University of Roehampton. With 28 years’ experience working in child sexual abuse, interpersonal trauma and domestic abuse, she has run consultancy and training for parents, teachers, social workers, nurses, therapists, counsellors, solicitors, the Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Committee, the Methodist Church, the Metropolitan Police Service, the NSPCC and the Refugee Council. She is the author of many books on trauma, shame, childhood sexual abuse, and dissociation, including Counselling Skills for Working with Trauma (JKP 2013).