On July 1, 2024 the Gabby Petito Act became law in Florida, offering enhanced protections for domestic violence victim-survivors.
Coercive Control
Coercive control is an ongoing pattern of behavior used by one person to harm, punish, frighten, or threaten another person. It is considered the most dangerous and malevolent form of intimate partner and family violence as it is a form of psychological torture. It is the foundational strategy used to accomplish the subjugation, oppression, and exploitation of women.
Signs of coercive control include:
– Monitoring your time
– Taking control of your daily life
– Devaluation
– Obstruction of Employment
– Financial abuse
– Criminal damage
– Isolation
– Rules and Regulations
– Deprivation of Basic Needs
– Monitoring Communication
– Threats
– Sexual Assault
It was first criminalized in the UK in 2015. To learn what other countries and states have laws against it, log onto The Coercive and Controlling Legislation Global Database, which we developed in 2020 to monitor legislative updates.
On July 1, 2020, domestic violence survivors in Florida received expanded legal protections that include their pets. Governor Ron DeSantis signed the bipartisan Senate Bill 1082 into law in June, 2020 allowing courts to include their pets in restraining orders against abusers.1 Perpetrators of coercive control may target pets as a means of inducing fear and submission in the victim, putting their lives at risk….
A new report reveals high rates of intimate partner violence in Hawaii, with 1 in 5 residents experiencing coercive control.
Victoria MP Laurel Collins’ proposed coercive control legislation passes third reading in Canada’s House of Commons
Massachusetts House unanimously passes Bill H 4744 to ban coercive control and revenge porn awaiting Gov. Healey’s signature for enactment.
“Why didn’t you just leave?” is a question bystanders often ask coercive control survivors. It shows the urgent need for increased awareness.
Research exposes the alarming rate of Black femicide in the U.S. and explores the urgent need for solutions.
Queensland passes groundbreaking coercive control legislation to tackle intimate partner violence and femicide in honor of Hannah Clarke.
EU enacts new laws to combat over 3000 annual femicides, aiming to significantly reduce violence against women across the continent.
An alarming report shows that Ireland’s police received an alarming 60,000 domestic violence reports in 2023.