Over the last two decades, England, Ireland, France, Scotland, and a number of other countries and thousands of service organizations world-wide have adapted coercive control as the framework for improving the response to interpersonal abuse and discarded definitions and practice models that narrowly emphasize violence or relegate the role of children to “witnesses.” What were the key frustrations with the justice and Refuge/Shelter response that led to the changes? What is the coercive control ‘framework?’ Is it applicable in the U.S.? Drawing on examples from his forensic caseload and his recent experiences abroad, Dr. Stark introduces coercive control as a practical model to improve assessment with women and children and as a political model to address violence against women as a “liberty crime.”