‘Controlling behaviour is: a range of acts designed to make a person subordinate and/or dependent by isolating them from sources of support, exploiting their resources and capacities for personal gain, depriving them of the means needed for independence, resistance and escape and regulating their everyday behaviour.
Coercive behaviour is: an act or a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish, or frighten their victim.’
Control and Coercion comes under Section 76 of the Serious Crime Act 2015 – Controlling or Coercive Behaviour in an Intimate or Family Relationship – Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Law came into force on 29th December 2015.
Some common examples of coercive behaviour are:
- Isolating you from friends and family
- Depriving you of basic needs, such as food
- Monitoring your time
- Monitoring you via online communication tools or spyware
- Taking control over aspects of your everyday life, such as where you can go, who you can see, what you can wear and when you can sleep
- Depriving you access to support services, such as medical services
- Repeatedly putting you down, such as saying you’re worthless
- Humiliating, degrading or dehumanising you
- Controlling your finances
- Making threats or intimidating you
https://www.womensaid.org.uk/information-support/what-is-domestic-abuse/coercive-control/
Domestic abuse isn’t always physical. Coercive control is an act or a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish, or frighten their victim
(womans aid) https://www.womensaid.org.uk/information-support/what-is-domestic-abuse/coercive-control/
This link from Rights of Women provides information on Control and Coercion and the Law.
Think link from Gov.uk provides a review of the offence of Control and Coercion
This link from the Crown Prosecution Service provides an overview of the offecne of Control and Coercion.
This link from the Crown Prosecution Service provides an overview of evidence needed to charge controlling and coercive behavior
Evidence that can be used to help with a charge of controlling and coercive beahvior.
Copies of emails
Phone records
Text messages
Evidence of abuse over the internet
Digital technology and social media platforms
CCTV
Records of interaction with services such as support services, (even if parts of those records relate to events which occurred before the new offence came into force, their contents may still, in certain circumstances, be relied on in evidence)
Medical records
Witness testimony, for example the family and friends of the victim may be able to give evidence about the effect and impact of isolation of the victim from them
local enquiries: neighbours, regular deliveries, postal, milk delivery, window cleaner etc
Bank records to show financial control
Previous threats made to children or other family members
Diary kept by the victim (only do this if it safe to do so)
Victims account of what happened to the police, however this is not the only evidence that can be used to prove a case
Evidence of isolation such as lack of contact between family and friends, victim withdrawing from activities such as clubs, perpetrator accompanying victim to medical appointments.