Coercive control is now illegal in this state. Here’s what it means
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The new laws have come into effect after years of campaigning from advocates, including Sue and Lloyd Clarke, whose daughter Hannah experienced domestic violence and coercive control.
Here’s what you need to know about the new laws and why it is a “bittersweet” day for advocates.
What are the coercive control laws?
Under Queensland’s laws, it is illegal for an adult to use abusive behaviours towards their current or former intimate partner, family member, or informal carer with the intent to control or coerce them.
The laws apply to abusive behaviours that occur on or after 26 May 2025 and convicted perpetrators can face a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.
Nadia Bromley, CEO of Women’s Legal Service Queensland, said the criminalisation of coercive control has been a long time coming.
“For a long time, we’ve known that coercive control underpins a lot of domestic family violence,” she said.
“This change today is about recognising that coercive control is a very serious form of domestic violence … the kinds of conduct we’re talking about [are] any pattern of behaviour that’s really designed to dominate or control another person in the context of a domestic relationship.”
Coercive control involves a pattern of abusive behaviour, with the intention to hurt, humiliate, isolate, frighten or threaten another person in order to control or dominate them.It can be physical or non-physical and includes emotional, psychological and financial abuse, along with isolation, intimidation, sexual coercion and cyberstalking.Bromley said she hoped the new laws would improve education and awareness in the community.”I think people still find it hard to articulate what’s happening to them to understand that it’s something that can be addressed and that there is help available,” she said.”I think the secondary part is accountability … recognising not only these harmful and unwelcome behaviours, but we know that they’re really closely linked with fatality,” Bromley said.
Content retrieved from: https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/coercive-control-is-now-illegal-in-this-state-heres-what-it-means/4478i0naj.
