{"id":42475,"date":"2023-10-10T07:11:58","date_gmt":"2023-10-10T11:11:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/?p=42475"},"modified":"2023-10-09T09:59:45","modified_gmt":"2023-10-09T13:59:45","slug":"high-conflict-divorce-or-post-separation-abuse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/high-conflict-divorce-or-post-separation-abuse\/","title":{"rendered":"Is it Really High Conflict Divorce or Post Separation Abuse?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Some couples can divorce amicably, some can divorce bumpy but tolerably, and some go through what is societally called a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153high conflict\u00e2\u20ac\u009d divorce. According to divorcenet.com, high conflict is defined as \u00e2\u20ac\u0153divorces where one or both spouses engage in negative behaviors to intentionally derail the process or inflict unnecessary emotional pain on one another.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00c2\u00a0<\/span>\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, if one spouse uses coercive tactics to gain prolonged power over their ex-spouse, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153high conflict\u00e2\u20ac\u009d may not be the correct labeling; it may be considered Post Separation Abuse. This is an emerging label in the mental health field and is becoming apparent in legal settings.<\/span>\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is Post Separation Abuse?<\/h2>\n

\"Couple<\/p>\n

Post Separation Abuse is defined as the ongoing, willful pattern of intimidation of a former intimate partner including legal abuse, economic abuse, threats and endangerment to children, isolation and discrediting and harassment and stalking (Spearman, K. J., Hardesty, J. L., & Campbell, J. (2023). Post- separation abuse: A concept analysis. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 79, 1225\u00e2\u20ac\u201c1246).<\/span>\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Post Separation Abuse is considered intimate partner violence (IPV) and not only harms former spouses but shared children as well. Intimate partner violence can be defined as physical, sexual, or psychological harm by a current or former intimate partner or spouse (National Institute of Justice).<\/span>\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some forms of Post Separation Abuse are:<\/span>\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n