THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE DEADWATER FELL FINALE, EPISODE FOUR
There are no black-eyes with coercive control. No bruises or broken bones. It’s so hard to spot that often people in controlling relationships don’t even recognise that it’s happening to them.
It’s no wonder then, that coercive and controlling behaviour didn’t become a criminal offence until 2015 when Section 76 of the Serious Crime Act created a new offence of controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate or family relationship. Prior to the introduction of this offence, case law indicated the difficulty in proving a pattern of behaviour amounting to harassment within an intimate relationship. Just think about that – only five years ago, it was still legal to emotionally abuse, isolate, humiliate and intimidate your partner; the one person you’re supposed to love more than anyone else in the world…
This was one of the issues I set out to explore in new fictional Channel 4 drama Deadwater Fell. It tells the story of respected GP Tom Kendrick (David Tennant) and his teacher wife Kate (Anna Madeley). From the outside, their marriage is idyllic. They have three beautiful kids, a close-knit group of friends, a gorgeous house: all the trappings of a perfect life. One night, a devastating fire leaves everyone dead but Tom and the truth of what has been happening behind closed doors starts to unravel.
Across the series, we see Tom for who he really is: a controlling and manipulative abuser. Kate is dominated by Tom - in a psychological prison of his making.
To accurately portray their relationship, we spent a lot of time with our Forensic Psychology Consultant Coral Dando – a former police officer and Professor of Psychology at the University of Westminster: an expert on coercive behaviour. Before talking to her, I thought I had an idea of what control looked like – the husband choosing what the wife wears, opening her post, listening in on her phone calls.
Kate lived her last months suffering in silent agony. I know she’s only a character but I have tears in my eyes writing that.
But as Coral was quick to tell us, there are myriad ways to control someone and it is often done so subtly. In fact, the abuser often tailors methods to their victim – exploiting their personal fears or vulnerabilities. So we set about trying to shine a light on aspects of coercive relationships we hadn’t seen on television before.
Across the episodes, we see Kate obediently swallowing tablets - medication that Tom gives her. She admits later that she has no idea what she’s taking – Tom has taken control of her physical and mental well-being.
Tom also controls Kate’s body, using sex as a way to keep her in line. He expects to have sex whether Kate wants it or not and he sleeps with Kate’s best friend Jess (Cush Jumbo) as a way of isolating her from those closest to her.
Coral explained that isolating victims from family and friends is a huge factor in coercive control. That isolation is not always literal: Kate is a vital member of her community – she works, she goes out, she has friends. But Tom finds ways to drive a wedge between Kate and anyone who could help her. Kate struggles to confide in anyone – let alone articulate what is happening to her. In fact, her abuse has become so normalised, that Kate defends Tom when his mother criticises him.
In the final episode, we see how far Tom will go to control his wife. He kills their children, then kills Kate - but not before blaming her for everything that has happened. Those were incredibly hard scenes to write - as were the scenes where people unwittingly turned their back on Kate when she needed them most.
Kate lived her last months suffering in silent agony. I know she’s only a character but I have tears in my eyes writing that. Kate’s story is fiction – but it is based in fact. Horrific, insidious everyday fact. There are women and men out there – maybe reading this article - who are suffering in silence too.
If there’s one message I hope people take away from Deadwater Fell, it’s that we need to start opening up. We need to start talking. If your relationship is making you anxious or uncomfortable, even if you can’t quite put your finger on why, talk to someone. I know that’s easier said than done, but there is someone out there – a loved one or a professional - who can and will help you. Equally if you’re worried about a friend’s relationship – start that conversation with them.
It’s only in silence that abusive relationships can fester. And the simple act of talking could just save a life.
Deadwater Fell is available on All4
READ MORE: Reports Of Coercive Control Offences Have Nearly Doubled In The Last Year
READ MORE: It's Impossible To Overstate The Significance Of Sally Challen's Retrail