Submission to NSW Government Inquiry into Coercive Control

The APS welcomes the NSW Government discussion about criminalising coercive control as a pattern of behaviour in domestic relationships.

This area requires social and legal reform as the psychological impact of coercive and controlling behaviours is devastating to victims.

Regulation is challenging to enforce though, as coercive and controlling behaviour is difficult to define and is contextual in nature. For these reasons, codification of this behaviour needs to be carefully considered.

The APS suggests that ongoing discussion regarding the criminalisation of coercive control needs to consider current research into:

• The effectiveness of criminalisation nationally and internationally in decreasing the incidence of coercive control and increasing the safety of those who experience it, and
• Understanding perpetrator typology and patterns of coercive behaviour.

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