Coronation Street spoilers follow.
Coronation Street's Yasmeen Metcalfe was faced with the painful memory of the abuse she suffered under the hands of her evil husband Geoff in tonight's (December 17) hour-long episode.
The soap explored the issue of coercive control through Geoff and Yasmeen's relationship, as he belittled her and destroyed her self confidence in order to gain control over her life. Although Geoff died last year after falling off a roof, the long-lasting effects of his actions on Yasmeen's mental health continue.
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In tonight's episode, she offered to let homeless man Stu Carpenter stay as her lodger for a short while, after he was found staying at the barber's by Maria Connor.
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At first he refused, due to feeling that Yasmeen just wants to make herself feel better after the fire and ensuing drama, but due to Kelly Neelan's insistence and his coughing from the cold, he agrees.
Unfortunately, Stu made a joke about how Yasmeen had better have a good vacuum cleaner or he'll have a go at her, causing Yasmeen to freeze as she is reminded of the things Geoff used to say to her, before running out of the café.
Alya explains to a confused Stu about the hell that Geoff put her gran through, and Yasmeen reluctantly admits that she isn't ready to have a lodger at the moment. What she can do to help Stu out is offer him a job at Speed Daal.
"It's really lovely, the way you're looking after Stu," Yasmeen told Kelly. "You should really be proud of yourself."
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Meanwhile, Emma Brooker took Curtis Delamare to his first psychology session to try and help him get better, but confides in Amy Barlow, who reacts angrily and threatens to tell all their friends and family on the eve of the wedding. She is eventually convinced not to, but Amy issues an ultimatum: she has to tell everyone herself.
Elsewhere, Adam Barlow and Sarah Platt try to tell their families that they just want to spend Christmas together, and it doesn't go down well at all.
Coronation Street airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 7.30pm on ITV.
Read more Coronation Street spoilers on our dedicated homepage.
Organisations including Women's Aid can provide further support and information on coercive control or coercive behaviour.
Readers who are affected by the issues raised in this story are also encouraged to contact Refuge (www.refuge.org.uk). Both charities run the 24-hour, freephone National Domestic Violence Helpline, 0808 2000 247. The US National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
