It’s a great article, describes controlling behavior well. I’d like to add that this can happen in many different types of relationships as well. It can be present in parent-child relationships. Friendship can lead to this. Beware friends who suddenly are around you constantly and start criticizing your other friends. I had friend once who actually memorized my weekly schedule, and got upset when I hung out with other friends saying that she wanted to hangout with me more and I was blowing her off when I saw other friends. She kept saying if I didn’t have more time to hangout with her I shouldn’t have time to be with other people (never mind I saw her 3 times a week). She was pretty toxic. I’ve also seen this even in toxic work environments, families, etc.

I’m glad we are talking about controlling male partners, it happens, and sexism encourages it, but let’s not turn a blind eye to controlling girlfriends and wives. My current girlfriend talks a lot about how her ex wife slowly pulled her away from all of her friends until all she had was her wife, her wife’s friends, and her wife’s family. It happens to men to, and it’s often not talked about. Women can get very controlling over their husbands, I’ve seen it many times where they trap them and isolate them from their family and friends. Often such men are not believed or supported when they try to get help because our sexist society encourages men to be dominant and laughs when they become victims. Don’t let the genders of the abusers and victims fool you, women are often the abusers and men can be the victims.

Someone has to be really insecure to indulge in this awful behavior. My partner is with me because she chooses it. I have no need to keep her hostage.