Coercive or controlling behaviour now ‘on par’ with domestic abuse in bid to protect abuse victims
3 February 2025, 17:58
Coercive or controlling behaviour has been placed "on a par" with other domestic abuse offences such as physical violence, as part of a new law aiming to tackle the issue.
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The law change means controlling or coercive behaviour is seen in the same way as other domestic abuse offences including threats to kill, attempted strangulation and stalking.
Coercive control is a form of psychological abuse in which the perpetrator threatens, humiliates and intimidates the victim to frighten them. It has been a criminal offence since 2015.
The law change, which came into effect on Monday, means police will now work together with other enforcement agencies to tackle coercive and controlling behaviour.
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Abusers who are convicted of such behaviour and sentenced to 12 months or longer in jail will be automatically managed by multi-agency public protection arrangements (Mappa).
This means police, probation, prison services and other agencies will be under a legal obligation to work together and share information to manage the risks those offenders pose to their former partners or to the public.
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The Ministry of Justice said evidence has shown that offenders who are managed under Mappa arrangements have a reoffending rate less than half of the national average.
Women's Aid welcomed the change, describing coercive control as "a key tool used by perpetrators of domestic abuse, as it isolates survivors and makes them dependent on an abuser".
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The organisation's chief executive Farah Nazeer said: "It is essential that specialist domestic abuse services, with expertise on abusive behaviours and the impacts on victims and survivors, are routinely included in the Mappa process if survivors are to be properly protected by this measure."
The law forms part of the Victims and Prisoners Act which came into effect under the last government in 2024.
Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips hailed the change as an "important step" in recognising the harm different forms of domestic abuse cause.
She said: "For the first time, under this change to the law, coercive or controlling behaviour is being placed where it belongs - on a par with serious violent offending.
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"This is an important step to recognise the harm caused by all forms of domestic abuse, ensure the most harmful offenders are managed in the right way, and ultimately keep victims safe.
"This Government will crack on with our work to deliver a system that protects victims, supports their journey to justice and holds perpetrators to account - part of our mission under the Plan for Change to halve violence against women and girls in a decade."
Prisons and probation minister Lord James Timpson said: "Domestic abuse creates fear and isolation, and I will do everything in my power to tackle it and ensure women and girls feel safe in their homes.
"This new approach will put controlling or coercive behaviour on a par with physical violence and will help prevent these despicable crimes."
