Coercive Control
In 2015, under the Serious Crime Act 2015 (the 2015 Act) coercive control in an intimate or family relationship became a criminal offence.
If you experience this form of abuse, you can report it to the police. The offence carries a maximum of 5 years’ imprisonment, a fine or both.
Coercive and controlling behaviour can persist and often increase when a relationship ends, or in cases where the victim no longer lives with the perpetrator. This is known as known as ‘post-separation abuse’.
In 2023, an amendment to the definition of “personally connected’’ in the legislation in England and Wales removed the “living together’’ requirement. This means you can now bring coercive control charges, even if the victim and perpetrator are no longer in a relationship or living together.
What is coercive control?
Coercive control describes a range of behaviours that allow someone to gain or keep control of a partner, ex-partner or family member.
The following types of behaviour are common examples of coercive control:
- isolating you from your friends and family
- controlling how much money you have and how you spend it
- monitoring your activities and your movements
- repeatedly putting you down, calling you names or telling you that you are worthless
- threatening to harm or kill you or your child
- threatening to publish information about you or to report you to the police or the authorities
- damaging your property or household goods
- forcing you to take part in criminal activity or child abuse
Some of the behaviours in this list can be other offences as well as coercive control, so your abuser can be arrested for more than one offence for the same behaviour. For example, if your abuser broke your phone as part of the coercive control then they could be arrested and charged for coercive control and also the offence of criminal damage.
Reporting coercive control to the police
Coercive control is a criminal offence. If you experience this form of abuse you can report it to the police. The police may give your abuser a warning or they may arrest them for a criminal offence.
If the police have enough evidence they will refer the matter to the Crown Prosecution Service (‘CPS’). The CPS can start criminal proceedings against your abuser. If found guilty of an offence they can be sentenced up to 5 years in prison or made to pay a fine or both.
The court may also make a restraining order to protect you. The court can make restraining orders even if your abuser admits that they are guilty, if convicted (found guilty) even if acquitted or not convicted of the crime. A restraining order is a court order which prohibits your abuser from doing certain things such as contacting you or attending your place of work or home address. Breaching (breaking) a restraining order is a criminal offence.
Coercive control can involve a range of criminal offences including assault, rape, threats to kill, burglary and criminal damage. Coercive control is a criminal offence even if you have not experienced any physical violence or damage to your property. You can report everything that has happened to the police and the police will identify which criminal offences may have been committed. If you have experienced a violent crime you may be entitled to criminal injuries compensation.
Evidence of coercive control
It is the job of the police to investigate any reports of coercive control and gather evidence. You may be able to help the police by providing copies of emails, text messages or voicemail recordings, photographs of injuries or damage to property.
You may be able to evidence financial abuse by showing your bank statements or you may have kept a diary of your day to day experiences. You may be able to show that you have lost contact with friends and family members, left your employment or withdrawn from clubs and other activities.
Your medical records may show that your abuser accompanies you to appointments. It is common for abusers to make or threaten to make false allegations about their victims to the police, social services and immigration authorities or to friends and family. These threats are part of the coercive control and you can also report these threats to the police.
You can report the coercive control to the police even if you don’t have any other evidence. Your statement is evidence in the case.