The first thing we are going to do is know the etymological origin of the term coercion that concerns us now. In this case, we can state that it is a word that derives from Latin, specifically from "coactio", which can be translated as "force that is used to force someone to do something." It is a word composed of the following clearly differentiated parts:
-The prefix «with-«, which is equivalent to «together».
-The verb "agere", which is synonymous with "act" or "carry forward."
-The suffix "-cion", which is used to indicate "action and effect."
The concept refers to violence , intimidation or pressure exerted on a person with the intention of forcing them to do or say something.
For example: "The coercion worked: the man finally refused to testify against the police officers accused of corruption" , "I will not accept any type of coercion" , "Despite attempts at coercion, the workers in the fishing industry brought carry out their protest in front of the doors of the Government House .
Coercion is developed so that an individual performs - or fails to perform - an action against his or her will . It is important to keep in mind that coercion can be legitimate (if imposed by the State in certain contexts) or illegitimate (when exercised by a private subject).
A democratic government has various tools to exercise coercion through legal means . Suppose that a group of people advances through the streets throwing stones at motorists, hitting passers-by and destroying businesses and homes. The State , through security forces (such as the police), can use coercion to get these people to stop their actions. In this framework, the police can use tear gas to disperse the mobilization and forcibly arrest individuals who are committing crimes.
Take the case, however, of a woman who goes to a police station to report her boss for sexual harassment . On the way, she is intercepted by three men who push her, insult her and tell her that if she denounces the man in question, she will appear dead in a ditch. This coercion, which seeks to prevent women from speaking out of fear, is illegitimate and illegal .
Within the cultural field, we find different works that use the term that concerns us now in their titles. A good example of this is the film "Coercion a jury", released in 1996. Brian Gibson is the director of this feature film, framed within the thriller genre, which stars actors of the caliber of Demi Moore, Anne Heche , Alec Baldwin and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
It tells the story of a single mother, Annie, who is chosen to be part of a jury that must lead a trial against a dangerous murderer. His life will be complicated because this choice will lead him to become a victim of coercion. And a criminal hired by the mafia will explain that either he declares the accused innocent, receiving a significant sum of money in return, or his life and that of his son will be in serious danger.