Isolation (physical, social or emotional) is often used to facilitate power and control over someone for an abusive purpose. This applies in many contexts such as workplace bullying,Rayner C, Hoel H, Cooper CL Workplace Bullying: What we know, who is to blame and what can we do? (2001)Peyton PR Dignity at Work: Eliminate Bullying and Create a Positive Working Environment (2003) elder abuse,

domestic abuse Domestic violence (also known as domestic abuse or family violence) is violence or other abuse that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. ''Domestic violence'' is often used as a synonym for '' intimate partne ...

, child abuse, and cults. Isolation reduces the opportunity of the abused to be rescued or escape from the abuse. It also helps disorient the abused and makes the abused more dependent on the abuser. The degree of power and control over the abused is contingent upon the degree of their physical or emotional isolation. Isolation of the victim from the outside world is an important element of psychological control.''Global and regional estimates of violence against women: prevalence and health effects of intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence.''
World Health Organization. 2013. . p. 7. Isolation includes controlling a person's social activity: whom they see, whom they talk to, where they go and any other method to limit their access to others. It may also include limiting what material is read.''Power and Control.''
Duluth Model. Retrieved April 19, 2014. It can include insisting on knowing where they are and requiring permission for medical care. The abuser exhibits hypersensitive and reactive jealousy. Isolation can be aided by: *

economic abuse Economic abuse is a form of abuse when one intimate partner has control over the other partner's access to economic resources, which diminishes the victim's capacity to support themselves and forces them to depend on the perpetrator financially. I ...

thus limiting the victim's actions as they may then lack the necessary resources to resist or escape from the abuse''Economic abuse wheel''
/ref> * smearing or

discrediting A smear campaign, also referred to as a smear tactic or simply a smear, is an effort to damage or call into question someone's reputation, by propounding negative propaganda. It makes use of discrediting tactics. It can be applied to individual ...

the abused amongst their community so the abused does not get help or support from othersBailey-Rug C (2016) It's Not You, It's Them: When People Are More Than Selfish * divide and conquer

In cults

Various isolation techniques may be used by cults: * separating from family and community * taking control of the handling of the victim's resources and property * undoing (mind control) * physical isolation * extortion/dependency tactics * controlling victim's access to necessities.

In workplace bullying

Isolation is a common element of workplace bullying. It includes preventing access to opportunities, physical or social isolation, withholding necessary information, keeping the target "out of the loop", ignoring or excluding. Workplace isolation is a defined category in the workplace power and control wheel.Power & Control in the Workplace
American Institute on Domestic Violence

References

{{Domestic violence Power (social and political) concepts Control (social and political) Abuse Workplace bullying Psychological abuse Domestic violence