I Am Nicola last week aired on Channel 4 delivering a gripping but real portrayal of a coercive relationship.
The drama, which stars Vicky McClure, struck a chord with viewers, for its depiction of an abusive relationship through a non-physical lens and a domestic abuse advocate has praised the show for platforming the rarely understood issue.
Chantal Hughes, CEO of domestic abuse charity The Hampton Trust told Metro.co.uk: ‘It is refreshing that there was an attempt to illustrate domestic abuse without any threat of violence.’
Created by Dominic Savage, McClure plays Nicola and her partner Adam is played by Perry Fitzpatrick. The pair are stuck in a dysfunctional relationship which sees Adam manipulate Nicola, isolate her from her friends and prevent her from doing ordinary things like going to the gym.
‘Coercive control has only been enshrined in legislation in the last couple of years and it was a prime opportunity to illustrate that to a broad audience,’ Chantal explained.
‘It is so subtle and nuanced that not even criminal justice agencies like the police have even gotten their heads around tackling it in its entirety.’
‘They only had 40 minutes to illustrate that this is what domestic abuse can look like, when it isn’t necessarily about physical abuse because everyone just assumes it’s about physical abuse.’
Chantal feels that the topic could have even been explored further and hopes it will be represented more in television.
‘They’ve tried to show how people can be controlling in everyday life and the actors played it really well.
‘That is how it works – one minute you’re feeling victimised and the next moment you’re having pity for your captor like Stockholm Syndrome.’
Chantal said that her organisation’s work with domestic abuse perpetrators starts with getting them to ‘recognise what is abusive and what isn’t’.
Reckon both men and women will be able to relate to #IAmNicola even if you’re in denial take a step back and realise #coercivebehaviour is not right either way. If you are the victim or the person acting it out….get help now
— Kate (@AuntieKaty) July 23, 2019
When you’re in it, you don’t really know it’s happening, until someone on the outside points it out, and then it’s too late as they’ve sucked every bit of energy out of you and you lose all your confidence.
That was a brilliant bit of telly.#IAmNicola
— Nic (@Darker_Horse) July 23, 2019
@Vicky_McClure your portrayal of Nicola is heartbreakingly accurate. Every scenario, every glance, every false smile. Thank you for helping people see. #iamnicola
— Lisa Devin (@Lisa_Jo) July 23, 2019
#IAmNicola is an uncomfortable watch but if it helps people realise they are in a coercive control relationship then it has worked
— Emma (@emma_t10) July 23, 2019
‘Often what they will say, “I’m not abusive, I wouldn’t dream of hitting my partner,” so they equate abuse with physical abuse so when we go through the other ways in which they abuse, they do recognise.
‘Because Adam didn’t even threaten to harm Nicola but the threat was looming the whole time and that is exactly what domestic abuse is about.
‘What was done well on that episode, when you watched it, there was that really sick feeling in your gut that “well he’s not saying he’s going to hit her, he’s not raising his fists” but there’s that funny feeling of wondering if he’s going to just lose it with her.
‘So in that way they did a really good job of really clearly illustrating that actually, he was being abusive yet without using or threatening violence, but there’s a sense that it might happen at any time.’
The series continues tonight at 10pm on Channel 4 with the second in the anthology, I Am Kirtsy, which sees Samantha Morton play a single mother of two struggling with spiralling debts.
I Am continues tonight with I Am Kirsty on Channel 4.
MORE: I Am Nicola review: A harrowing depiction of a coercive relationship deftly improvised
