The Department of Justice is inviting views from the public about whether specific laws against an insidious form of family violence behaviour known as ‘coercive control’ should be introduced.
In a statement, the Department said victim-survivors, legal and family violence specialists, as well as members of the community, would be consulted about the measure.
“Abuse can take many forms and coercive control is recognised as a red flag that can lead to further violence, and in some cases, partner homicide,” the Department said.
“Perpetrators use coercive control to undermine a victim’s autonomy and capacity to resist or escape abuse,” it said.
“They use intimidation, isolation and manipulation to maintain control, sometimes for years.”
The Department said the possibility of new laws against coercive control raised complex legal, policy and social change issues.
“Legislative changes or other responses must benefit victim-survivors and not lead to adverse impacts, particularly for vulnerable members of the community,” it said.
“An important part of the consultation will consider what the current awareness of coercive control is in the community and how frontline responders can recognise these patterns of abuse.”
Minister for Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence, Simone McGurk said it was a distressing reality that women in Western Australia, and across the country, were being abused in this way by someone who was supposed to love and care for them.
“Coercive control is a pattern of persistent abusive behaviour that aims to manipulate, intimidate and isolate victims mentally, emotionally, socially and financially,” Ms McGurk said.
“As a Government, we want to make sure any measures that are put in place achieve the best outcomes for victim-survivors, and that is why consultation is so important,” she said.
The Department has published an 11-page Discussion Paper related to the matter which can be accessed at this PS News link.
Consultation will be open until 30 July this year,
