Coercive control

Law

In England and Wales, the Serious Crime Act 2015 created a criminal offense for controlling or coercive behavior in an intimate or family relationship. For the purposes of this offense, the coercive behavior must have been engaged in "repeatedly or continuously". Another element of the offense is that it must have had, or have, a "serious effect" on the victim. One way this can be proved, is that the coercive behavior can be shown to have caused the victim to fear violence on at least two occasions, or for it to have had, or have, a "substantial adverse effect on the victims' day to day activities". The prosecution should be able to show that there was intent to control or coerce the targeted person in some manner. In 2019, the UK government made teaching about what coercive control was a mandatory part of the education syllabus on relationships.