Ridgefield, CT – The Connecticut Press Club awarded “FRAMED: Women in the Family Court Underworld” a first place prize in its nonfiction book category for 2024. Dr. Christine M. Cocchiola of Litchfield County, a world-renowned coercive control expert and therapist, and Amy Polacko, a Ridgefield divorce coach and journalist, co-authored the book. FRAMED is an exposé about what happens to domestic abuse victims in the family court system.
“We are incredibly grateful to our twenty-two brave contributors for ‘FRAMED’ who come from around the world and to the Connecticut Press Club for honoring their stories,” said Cocchiola. “This book demonstrates how the family court is manipulated by the abuser, further exerting coercive control over the victim.” Cocchiola is the creator of the Protective Parenting Program, a program for parents whose children have been affected by abuse as well as coercive control trainings for therapists, attorneys and other court professionals.
“Readers from around the globe have told us how much these women’s stories have touched and educated them,” said Polacko. “We both got into this work to educate and empower women–and we hope FRAMED serves as a cautionary tale for all women, whether they are dating, married or going through divorce.” Polacko believes women must be the CEO of their own divorce, and coaches them before, during and after the process.
Cocchiola and Polacko said “FRAMED” is more than a book – it’s a movement. The book was released on October 1, 2024 to mark the start of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Six months later, it is still on several Amazon bestseller lists, and has had sales in the US, Canada, UK, Europe and Australia.
Polacko also earned a first prize from the Connecticut Press Club in the personal essay category for her HuffPost article, “I Barely Escaped My Abusive Marriage. If JD Vance Had His Way, I’d Still Be Trapped There.” Her continuing coverage of the national story for Ms. involving a New York mother’s custody case, called “It’s Been a Year Since Catherine Kassenoff’s Assisted Suicide. Has Anything Changed in Family Court?,” earned second place in the social issues category.
The authors are on a mission to educate all women about coercive controllers/narcissistic abusers and push for family court reform. Dr. Ramani Durvasula, New York Times bestselling author and narcissism expert, wrote the foreword to the book. Tina Swithin, founder of One Mom’s Battle, who has mobilized family court victims across the country, wrote the book’s epilogue.
Cocchiola and Polacko warn that the stories in “FRAMED” may not be easy to read, but they are a must read. “Read it before you need it,” they say. “This could be you someday–or your daughter, sister, mother or friend.”
To learn more about FRAMED, go to www.narcfreepress.com
About the Authors
Dr. Christine Marie Cocchiola has been a social justice advocate since the age of 19 supporting victims of abuse. Her doctoral degree research at New York University, under the tutelage of Dr. Evan Stark, focused on adult and child victims of coercive control. A licensed clinical social worker and a college professor educating on topics related to trauma and abuse, she is a survivor and protective parent. Learn more about Dr. C’s work here: www.coercivecontrolconsulting.com
Amy Polacko is a divorce coach, advocate for women and award-winning journalist writing about divorce, domestic abuse, coercive control, and family court. Her work has appeared in HuffPost, Ms., Newsweek, The Independent and The Washington Post. She earned a master’s degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism and was part of Newsday’s Pulitzer Prize winning team covering the TWA Flight 800 crash. She is a survivor and protective parent. Learn more about Amy and her work here: www.freedomwarrior.info
