Using a queer theoretical and identity-based framework to understand bisexual women’s experiences of coercive control

Abstract

Despite being identified as one of the most at-risk groups for intimate partner violence, bisexual women’s experiences remain underrepresented in domestic and family violence research. This article addresses this gap by analysing the narratives of 98 bisexual women from a broader Australian qualitative survey on coercive control. Framed through a queer theoretical and identity-based lens, the study explores what coercive control looked like for participants, how they defined and understood it, and why it was often not recognised as domestic or family violence at the time. The research highlights the impacts on wellbeing and calls for more inclusive, identity-aware approaches in both research and service responses.