I think coercive control can also occur in authoritarian regimes, political parties/groups and society at large, although it is not always just aimed at women when states and political groups engage in it. For example, in countries such as North Korea anyone who voices opposition to the regime is punished. In so called democratic countries the rise of ‘cancel culture’ could also said to be a form of coercive control. For example, someone says something that a political group disagrees with, then a political group goes about silencing the person, or threatening them financially, as has recently happened in regards to GB News.
Although, this kind of societal/political control can happen to anyone, men collectively have always historically engaged in harmful and controlling behaviours towards women in regimes, political parties/groups and society generally. I think this can still be observed today in greater or lesser degrees depending on the country. For example, in authoritarian regimes such as Iran and Saudi women are harshly controlled by men in what they can say and do, to oppose the control men exert over women in these regimes, results in women being harshly punished or even death. In so called democratic countries it is perhaps not extreme, but it is still present in many ways. For example, if a woman points out the harmful behaviours of men, or a group of men in society, she can often be ‘cancelled’ or receive threats of violence. One only has to listen to how female public figures have received threats of violence, after speaking out about men’s harmful and abusive behaviour towards women. This functions as way to control what women say and how they can deal with men’s abusive behaviour so can said to be a form of coercive control.
Often when women highlight men’s collective abusive and controlling behaviour towards women, men react with DARVO (Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender). For example, men deny their abusive behaviour or minimise it, claiming ‘it is not happening’, ‘only a few men are like this’, ‘why should all men be held accountable for a few men’s behaviour’, ‘it really is not that bad’ etc. They also attack and deflect from the from the issue of men’s harmful behaviour towards women, by saying things like ‘women are just as bad as men’, or use threats to intimate and silence the women from speaking up. They use reversals, by portraying themselves as the victims and paint women as the offenders calling the women ‘man-haters’, ‘feminazis’ etc.
Therefore, I think women should not only be vigilant about men’s narcissistic abuse such as coercive control and DARVO in intimate relationships, but also in society generally, so as to be able to recognise it when it is occurring and not be manipulated and controlled by them.