Power and Control Wheel
A Power and Control Wheel is a domestic violence education tool that illustrates interpersonal exploitation patterns and pathological relationship dynamics through interconnected abuse tactics used to establish and maintain power over an intimate partner.
- AKA: Duluth Model Wheel, Abuse Wheel, Domestic Violence Wheel, Control Tactics Wheel.
- Context:
- It can typically display Eight Abuse Tactics radiating from central power and control hub.
- It can typically include Physical Violence and sexual violence as outer enforcement ring.
- It can typically feature Economic Abuse controlling financial resources.
- It can typically illustrate Emotional Abuse through psychological manipulation.
- It can typically demonstrate Isolation Tactics limiting social contact.
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- It can often incorporate Male Privilege in gendered violence context.
- It can often highlight Children as Tools for manipulation purpose.
- It can often emphasize Minimizing and Denying of abusive behavior.
- It can often show Intimidation Methods creating fear environment.
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- It can range from being a Basic Power and Control Wheel to being a Culturally-Adapted Power and Control Wheel, depending on its cultural specificity level.
- It can range from being a Individual Power and Control Wheel to being an Institutional Power and Control Wheel, depending on its application context scope.
- It can range from being a Static Power and Control Wheel to being an Interactive Power and Control Wheel, depending on its educational delivery format.
- It can range from being a General Power and Control Wheel to being a Population-Specific Power and Control Wheel, depending on its target audience focus.
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- It can facilitate Victim Recognition of abuse patterns.
- It can guide Advocate Training in domestic violence field.
- It can inform Legal Understanding of coercive control.
- It can support Safety Planning by identifying risk factors.
- It can enable Perpetrator Accountability through behavior documentation.
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- Example(s):
- Original Power and Control Wheels, such as:
- Adapted Power and Control Wheels, such as:
- Specialized Power and Control Wheels, such as:
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- Counter-Example(s):
- Equality Wheel, which illustrates healthy relationship dynamics without control tactic.
- Communication Model, which teaches conflict resolution without power imbalance.
- Boundary Framework, which establishes mutual respect without domination pattern.
- Support Network Diagram, which shows resource connections without abuse focus.
- See: Interpersonal Exploitation Pattern, Pathological Relationship Dynamic, Duluth Model, Domestic Violence, Coercive Control, Intimate Partner Violence, Abuse Cycle, Safety Planning, Victim Advocacy, Perpetrator Intervention, Gender-Based Violence, Trauma-Informed Care.