4 September 2024

 

COERCIVE control is a pattern of behaviour that may include financial abuse, threats against pets or loved ones, someone’s movements or isolating them from friends and family to control them. On 1 July, New South Wales become the first jurisdiction to introduce a standalone dedicated offence of coercive control. Under the Crimes Legislation Amendment (coercive Control) Act 2022, perpetrators, if found guilty, can face up to a maximum of seven years in prison.

 

Member for Gosford, Liesl Tesch said criminalising coercive control is sending a strong message to perpetrators.

 

“For victim-survivors of domestic, family and sexual violence 1 July was a watershed moment. Coercive control is now a crime, and these laws show that coercive behaviours are unacceptable and will not be tolerated" Ms Tesch said.

 

“Coercive control – an insidious form of abuse – can impact our friends, our families, our siblings, our loved ones, our workmates.

 

“Coercive control can be different for everyone, and it can show itself in different ways. Coercive control is when someone does things to control you. They might scare you, hurt you physically or non-physically, stop you from seeing or talking to other people.

 

“It can happen when you’re dating, with people you are in relationship with, also with someone you’ve been in a relationship with previously. Coercive control is always wrong.”

 

Recognising signs of coercive or controlling behaviours

 

Coercive control can involve any ongoing and repeated pattern of behaviour which hurts, scares, or isolates another person to control them.

 

Signs of coercive and controlling behaviours take so many different forms.

 

Signs may include: emotional abuse, shaming, degrading or humiliating, making threats, limiting freedom or controlling choices, harassing, monitoring and staling.

 

Coercive control has been strongly linked to intimate partner homicide. The NSW Domestic Violence Death Review Team found that 97% of intimate partner domestic violence homicide cases, the victim had experienced coercive and controlling behaviours before being killed.

 

In understanding coercive control, it is important to note that this includes physical and non-physical behaviours. It is deliberate, ongoing and isolating, however there is help available.

 

The NSW Government has released a suite of resources to help raise awareness and understanding about coercive control, to support conversations about healthy and harmful behaviours in relationships. This includes the Coercive Control website.

 

People who are experiencing coercive control or who want to support others can contact 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) for 24/7 support, send a text to 0458 737 732. People in immediate danger call 000 and ask for Police.

 

• Ref: NSW Domestic Violence Death Review Team, Report, 2019-2021, p28

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