Kate Amber has experienced the devastation of domestic abuse (DA) and coercive control (CC) herself. She knows personally how DA and CC cuts across all nations, all economic levels, and affects the lives and livelihood of victims and their families, the health and safety of the community, and much more. She has also seen the well intentioned efforts of the legal system and governmental and social agencies to address these and related issues. What has been, and is still missing is the voice, experience, and participation of the targeted victim in efforts by the legal system and governmental and social agencies to address these and related issues. Ms. Amber took action in 2019 to change this and empower those with lived experience to make their voices heard. Through her company, ECCUSA, she has:
• Inspired and organized national and international conferences (including this one),
• Given presentations and speeches revealing the hidden side that only those with lived experience fully understand,
• Reviewed and offered advice to law enforcement, legal services, and local governmental task forces, and
• Used her expertise as an award-winning photographer to reveal the full scope of current DA and CC realities that must be addressed in order to reduce coercive control and hold perpetrators accountable.
She refers to this approach as “Making the Invisible Visible” which is the name of her podcast (coming soon) and the cornerstone of her upcoming book, Targeted: Coercive Control & How to avoid being ANYONE’s Prey, to be released in 2022. In addition to practical ideas from the point of view of the survivor expert, it simplifies and clarifies for everyone the complex and nuanced strategy of coercive control.
Ms. Amber will receive her Master’s Degree in The Psychology of Coercive Control in 2022. To get up to date information sign up for ECCUSA’s newsletter at www.endccusa.com.