Coercive Control: How to Spot the Signs & What to Do
Coercive Control is a complex form of domestic and family violence. It is a pattern of behaviour designed to harm, punish, or frighten a person and take away their autonomy. In Queensland, coercive control is now a criminal offence, meaning that a perpetrator can be charged and prosecuted for behaviour considered to be coercive control.
At Rostron Carlyle Lawyers, we can assist you in navigating how to protect yourself, your children, and your assets in circumstances of coercive control. By raising awareness of what coercive control is and how to recognise the signs, we want to empower you to break the cycle of domestic and family violence and ensure their safety.
If you or someone you know is in immediate risk of harm, please contact emergency services.
WHAT IS COERCIVE CONTROL?
Coercive control is behaviour that, over time, is used to hurt, humiliate, isolate, frighten or threaten another person. Coercive control can happen in different types of relationships, including relationships between intimate partners, former partners, family members or informal carers. The perpetrator’s conduct does not happen in isolation and typically escalates over time. It is important to be aware that coercive control is considered in the context of the individual relationship and may look different to different people.
HOW TO SPOT THE SIGNS?
Coercive control can be subtle and difficult to spot. The following signs can be used to spot coercive and controlling behaviours.
“Love Bombing”
Love bombing is a form of emotional abuse that involves a person going over the top with attention, gifts or pressuring a person into a relationship when they are not ready. It can involve behaviours including unwanted gifts, excessive compliments, and early and intense conversations about a future together.
Gaslighting
Gaslighting is a form of emotional abuse that makes a victim question their perception of a situation, their experience, or their feelings. Gaslighting causes victims to second-guess themselves and no longer trust their instincts and perspectives.
Isolation from Friends and Family
Perpetrators often use behaviours designed to isolate victims from friends, family members and support networks. This can include not letting the victim have contact with their family or not letting them leave the home by themselves.
Financial Control
Financial control includes restricting a victim from accessing their own finances, excessive tracking of the victim’s spending, making unilateral financial decisions, and not allowing the victim to have a job or earn their own money.
Emotional Abuse
Perpetrators will often use emotional abuse to lower a victim’s self-esteem and confidence. This can look like constant criticism or negative comments, threats to harm children or animals, controlling what a victim wears, and threatening comments designed to control a victim or make them afraid.
Surveillance
Surveillance can include following a victim, driving pass a victim’s workplace regularly, following a victim’s location electronically or frequently checking in with family or friends about a victim’s location, movement or activities.
Reproductive Control
Reproductive control is a form of coercive and controlling behaviour. This includes not letting a victim use contraception, tampering with contraception without a victim’s knowledge, pressuring a victim to terminate a pregnancy or pressuring or forcing a victim to have a child that they do not wish to have.
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse and violence are behaviours that cause physical harm or injury to a victim, property or animals. This includes slapping, kicking, punching, anything that prevents a victim from breathing, hurting animals and damaging property.
WHAT TO DO NEXT?
Coercive control can have a lasting impact on a victim and their family. It is important to recognise the signs and seek support if you are worried that you, or someone you know, may be a victim of coercive and controlling behaviour.
If you are at immediate risk of harm, please ensure that you contact emergency services.
There are a range of services available to provide support, including:
- DV Connect Womensline – 1800 811 811
- DV Connect Mensline – 1800 600 636
- 1800 RESPECT – 1800 737 732
- Lifeline – 13 11 14
- Sexual Assault Helpline – 1800 010 120
- 13 YARN – 13 92 76
- Kids Helpline – 1800 551 800
Domestic and family violence can affect anyone, regardless or gender, age, religion or race. It is therefore important to obtain professional legal advice so that you can understand how to protect yourself, your family and your property.
The Family Law Team at Rostron Carlyle Lawyers understand that every situation is unique, and we take an empathetic and compassionate approach to family law to ensure that you feel heard and supported. We are able to help you:
- Link in with support services to safely leave an unsafe relationship;
- Obtain a Domestic Violence Order;
- Protect your assets and finances;
- Commence property settlement procedures;
- Make sure your pets are protected, and
- Make appropriate parenting arrangements to ensure your safety and the safety of your children.
Contact us today to discuss how we can support you if you or someone you know is experiencing coercive control.
The blog published by Rostron Carlyle is intended as general information only and is not legal advice on any subject matter. By viewing the blog posts, the reader understands there is no solicitor-client relationship between the reader and the blog published. The blog should not be used as a substitute for legal advice from a legal practitioner, and readers are urged to consult Rostron Carlyle on any legal queries concerning a specific situation.
