THE criminalisation of coercive control took a significant step this week.

The NSW Government has taken a step closer to criminalising coercive control, releasing a draft bill for public comment ahead of its introduction to Parliament.

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Coercive control is a form of domestic abuse involving patterns of behaviour with a cumulative effect of denying victim-survivors their autonomy and independence.

This abuse can involve physical, sexual, psychological or financial abuse.

The Australian Institute of Criminology says one in ten women have experienced coercive control in the past three months.

Member for Myall Lakes, Stephen Bromhead said the NSW Government is consulting about a public-exposure draft bill to outlaw coercive control in intimate partner relationships, as part of its ongoing response to the Parliamentary Joint Select Committee on Coercive Control.

“It’s important that people in the Myall Lakes have their say on these landmark reforms,” Mr Bromhead said.

“Coercive control is complex, is insidious and causes untold harm for its victims.”

Women’s Safety and Prevention of Domestic and Sexual Violence Minister Natalie Ward, who chaired the Joint Select Committee on Coercive Control, said the Exposure Draft Bill also introduces a definition of ‘domestic abuse’ to the Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007.

“These are landmark reforms that recognise that domestic abuse isn’t just about physical violence, it can and very often includes physical, sexual, psychological and financial abuse to hurt and control someone,” Mrs Ward said.

“These reforms are crucial to ensuring that we recognise in law a pattern of behaviour that is identified as a precursor to domestic-violence deaths.”

Coercive control is a significant ‘red flag’ for intimate partner homicide.

The Domestic Violence Death Review Team Report 2017-19 noted that 111 of the 112 intimate partner domestic violence homicides that occurred in NSW between 10 March 2008 and 30 June 2016, the relationship was characterised by the abuser’s use of coercive and controlling behaviours toward the victim.

The NSW Government is well-advanced to introduce a final Bill to Parliament in Spring 2022.

Submissions about the Crimes Legislation Amendment (Coercive Control) Bill 2022 can be made via the NSW Government’s ‘Have Your Say’ website at https://www.nsw.gov.au/have-your-say.

Consultation and feedback closes 31 August 2022.

By Tara CAMPBELL