NSW has committed to criminalising coercive control.

In a recent report, the NSW Coroner found a number of cases were not preceded by an evident history of physical violence, and that some offenders actually refrained from physical violence to avoid attracting police attention.

Rather than physical violence, some perpetrators instead used “extreme manipulation and controlling behaviours” in a bid to control or limit their loved one’s freedom.

On Saturday, Attorney-General and Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention Minister Mark Speakman released the government’s response to coercive control. The response indicated support for 17 of the inquiry’s 23 recommendations. The remaining six have “been noted as further consideration continues”.

Legislation to combat coercive control is being considered or is in the process of becoming law in every state and territory in Australia.

Some already recognise coercive control under civil law.

Tasmania has had laws addressing coercive control across multiple pieces of legislation since 2004.

However, a 2017 report by Deakin University researchers published by the University of Tasmania law review found coercive control offences have “only rarely been prosecuted”.

Source: NSW has committed to criminalising coercive control.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.