What is coercive control?

New South Wales has become the first Australian state or territory to create a dedicated offence criminalising coercive control, after laws came into effect on 1 July 2024.

The laws were passed in 2022, however, they were prescribed to start at a later date to provide time for training, resourcing, education and raising community awareness of domestic violence in various forms.

Coercive Control Meaning

Coercive control is a form of domestic abuse that involves patterned behaviour which essentially has the effect of denying victims their autonomy and independence.

It is often non-violent and psychological in nature, and can encapsulate a range of actions including assaults, threats, intimidation, and humiliation.