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Domestic Abuse

Answer

We know that controlling and coercive behaviour (CCB) is a particularly insidious form of abuse and recognise the long-term emotional and psychological distress it can cause.

Controlling or coercive behaviour is an offence in the Serious Crime Act (2015). The statutory definition of domestic abuse, contained within the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, explicitly recognises controlling or coercive behaviour as a form of domestic abuse. The Act extended the coercive or controlling behaviour offence to ex-partners and families who do not live together. This offers protection to victims who are experiencing CCB from a family member they do not live with or post-separation abuse from an ex-partner.

The Crime and Policing Act 2026 introduced a statutory definition of ‘honour’-based abuse (HBA). Once in force, this will explicitly recognise that controlling or coercive behaviour can take place within a HBA context. The definition stipulates that the perpetrator(s) and the victim must be known to one another in person. This includes those that are personally connected but also wider community members who might be perpetrating the abuse.

The government has set out our view on the implementation of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, including CCB, in “Domestic Abuse Act 2021: post-legislative scrutiny”, which is published on Gov.UK.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

10270

Session

2026-27

Subjects

Domestic abuse

Link

View this Written question on www.parliament.uk