A criminological examination of the relationship between problem gambling and coercive control amongst intimate partners

Session Title

Session 2-4-E: Current Issues in Problem Gambling

Presentation Type

Event

Location

Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada

Start Date

29-5-2019 3:30 PM

End Date

29-5-2019 4:55 PM

Disciplines

Criminology

Abstract

Drawing upon the narratives of female victims of intimate partner violence, this paper examines the relationships between, and organisational dynamics of, coercive control and problematic gambling behaviour. The stories presented in this paper indicate that gamblers employ coercive controlling violence in intimate relationships in order to: (1) access money for gambling; (2) hide their gambling behaviour from others; (3) assuage their guilt and apportion blame to the partner for their gambling behaviour. Utilising a narrative framework, we explore impact of coercive control on victims’ identities and the remaking of self in the aftermath of trauma.

Keywords

coercive control, criminology, intimate partner violence, narrative, problem gambling, victimology

Author Bios

Dr James Banks is Reader in Criminology at Sheffield Hallam University. James’ research interest current around crime, gambling and technology. James has authored two books and published in a number of leading international criminology and criminal justice journals, including the European Journal of Criminology, Crime, Media, Culture, Critical Criminology and the European Journal of Crime, Criminal Law and Criminal Justice.

Dr Jaime Waters is Senior Lecturer in Criminology and Fellow of the Sheffield Institute for Policy Studies at Sheffield Hallam University. Her main research interests include illegal drug use, gambling, and emotional labour, and she published her first research monograph, Illegal Drug Use Through the Lifecourse, with Routledge in 2017. Jaime also publishes on methodological issues, including a forthcoming textbook, Mixed Methods in Criminology, with Routledge (2019).

Funding Sources

There are no funding sources relevant to the manuscript being submitted.

Competing Interests

James Banks has received research funding from GambleAware and the British Academy and Leverhulme Trust over the last three years. Jaime Waters has received research funding from the British Academy and Leverhulme Trust over the last three years.

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May 29th, 3:30 PM May 29th, 4:55 PM

A criminological examination of the relationship between problem gambling and coercive control amongst intimate partners

Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada

Drawing upon the narratives of female victims of intimate partner violence, this paper examines the relationships between, and organisational dynamics of, coercive control and problematic gambling behaviour. The stories presented in this paper indicate that gamblers employ coercive controlling violence in intimate relationships in order to: (1) access money for gambling; (2) hide their gambling behaviour from others; (3) assuage their guilt and apportion blame to the partner for their gambling behaviour. Utilising a narrative framework, we explore impact of coercive control on victims’ identities and the remaking of self in the aftermath of trauma.