The English Divorce Courts, non-physical ‘cruelty’ and ‘coercive control’ in wives’ petitions, 1857–1914

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article focuses on petitions presented before the English Divorce Court 1857–1914 to investigate women’s personal experiences and understandings of non-physical ‘cruelty’ in marriage and to relate this to present-day understandings of ‘coercive control’. A dataset of 269 petitions is analysed, focusing on three prevalent abuse types: economic abuse relating to a wife’s duties and responsibilities as household manager; emotional and psychological abuse in relation to pregnancy and motherhood; and the use of domestic space and household objects (associated with the marital home). Forms of non-physical cruelty were found in every petition, typically alongside physical actions, highlighting their importance to the disintegration of marital life. This article demonstrates how Divorce Court petitions, located in the UK National Archives, are an exceptional lens that reveal the complex repertoires and patterns of abusive behaviour, combining non-physical cruelty with physical violence, that were recorded by Victorian and Edwardian women. It sheds light not only on women’s experiences of marriage but also their understandings and expectations regarding what was acceptable.