Stories are persuasive; however, the problem for those who want to use stories to challenge the status quo is that new stories are heard in terms of old ones. The solution is not to give up on stories as persuasive form. Rather, it is to rework old plotlines to new purposes. Neither tragic, mystery, nor quest story lines, which have dominated battered women's storytelling, effectively captures women's experience of coercive control. In lieu of the dominated storytelling, this paper argues for the use of a rebirth storyline. When told in the first person, the author's strong narrative voice conveys an impression of agency and reasonableness, while describing experiences of dependence and dehumanization. Getting domestic violence against women recognized as coercive control requires a major effort of storytelling. This paper draws on an interdisciplinary literature on narrative and persuasion to show why doing this presents a formidable challenge. Drawing on the stories told by battered women as part of a successful reform effort, this article shows how women have used the form effectively. Notes and references