Readers respond to an article about how people are opting for minimal contact with their parents and other relatives
I was really saddened to read Emily Retter’s article about how many people are now opting for “low contact” relationships with family members (The rise of ‘low contact’ family relationships: ‘I said, Mum, I need to take some space’, 5 February). I fully understand and absolutely support that people sometimes need to step away from unsafe or abusive family situations and feel huge empathy for anyone who has had to make that choice. But the piece felt one‑sided, and it missed something important about what is happening right now: a social‑media‑fuelled individualism that can have serious unintended consequences.
What concerned me most was the lack of acknowledgment of how this trend overlaps with the rise in coercive control. One of the first warning signs of an abusive partner is encouraging someone to isolate from family and friends. How confusing must it be for people to see that behaviour supported in online messaging. Isolation is a major red flag for domestic abuse, and we should be helping young people to recognise that.
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