Mums In Need (MIN) is a unique support service for mothers suffering ongoing coercive control after separation from an abusive partner. We are working to move away from stereotypes and misconceptions around what a victim looks like and raise awareness about coercive control's multifaceted reality.

Domestic abuse is always underpinned by intimate terrorism, the emotional and psychological elements of coercive control which shatter lives. Violence is just one piece of the jigsaw that makes up a complex pattern of abuse; it is the iceberg's visible tip. Mums In Need recognises that what happens beyond physical violence is largely unseen by other services, with many victims falling through the cracks.

Many organisations help support escape from domestic abuse, but escape is not the end of the story. An escalation in relentless emotional and psychological abuse is common post-separation and is often sustained through shared care with children. Many mothers are left struggling to find the understanding and resources to cope with ongoing, often invisible abuse. This can be a lonely and desperate situation that impacts work-life, other relationships, motherhood and physical/mental health. 

We are here for these women.

We are experts in our field

For over ten years, Mums In Need has supported over 300 women who have suffered from emotional/psychological abuse (also known as coercive control).

Having first-hand experience with coercive control, Mums In Need is understanding, caring, and has become experts in our field. Women contact us having either found us themselves or been told about us. We also get referrals from various agencies in South Yorkshire. We have a great deal of experience, knowledge, and understanding about emotional abuse in relationships and an account of how you navigate your way through the family justice system.

We have come a long way since we started. We are now offering a wide range of services from counselling and well-being sessions to legal support.  

We have also been leading research to discover how support services can be improved for victims of coercive control. We interviewed our staff and the women who have used our support services to find out their views and struggles. From this research, we have developed a set of policy recommendations which, if implemented, would drastically improve the support available to these women.