1 in 2 people in New South Wales have now heard of coercive control and understand what it means, following the NSW Government's recent awareness campaign.
The campaign on social media and other platforms demonstrated behaviour that may indicate coercive control with the tag line: 'It's not love, it's coercive control'.
Independent research shows awareness and understanding of coercive control has increased since the campaign, compared to one in three people pre-campaign.
Among those who saw the campaign, over 75 per cent took some form of positive action such as discussing coercive control with others, reflecting on their own or other relationships or visiting the website for more information.
More people can also now correctly identify key behaviours linked to coercive control, such as threats, manipulation or monitoring someone's movements (21 per cent pre-campaign to 33 per cent post-campaign).
In NSW, coercive control became a criminal offence in current or former intimate partner relationships on 1 July 2024.
Coercive control is a pattern of behaviour which may include financial abuse, threats against pets or loved ones, tracking someone's movements, or isolating them from friends and family to control them.
Coercive control has been strongly linked to intimate partner homicide, with the NSW Domestic Violence Death Review Team finding that in 97% of intimate partner domestic violence homicides in NSW between 2000 and 2018 were preceded by the perpetrator using coercive and controlling behaviours, such as emotional and psychological abuse, towards the victim.
The results from this campaign will help inform ongoing campaigns for new target audiences, including older people, people with disability, and additional culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
The Minns Labor Government is continuing work to build a safer New South Wales by addressing domestic and family violence through a whole of community approach. This includes work in primary prevention and earlier intervention, as well as ensuring perpetrators take accountability for their actions.
To see the 'It's not love, It's coercive control' campaign materials, go to the coercive control webpage.
The Coercive Control Campaign report is available on the website of the Department of Communities and Justice.
Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Jodie Harrison said:
"Coercive control is insidious and can manifest in many ways, but it can also be easily overlooked, excused, or not recognised as abuse.
"The 'It's not love, it's coercive control' campaign has been important to raise community awareness of this abuse, and empowered people to take positive steps towards better understanding the signs of abuse.
"Along with the implementation of coercive control laws since July last year, people in NSW can understand the seriousness of these behaviours and that coercive control is a crime.
"The NSW Government remains committed to reducing domestic violence in our society because all of us have a right to feel safe, no matter where we are and who we are with."
NSW Attorney General Michael Daley said:
"Coercive control in current or former intimate partner relationships is criminal behaviour that will not be tolerated in this state and is punishable by up to seven years' imprisonment.
"We know from the results of this awareness campaign that there is awareness of coercive control in the community and that the justice system is responding.
"We also know that legal reform is just one of the ways we are tackling domestic and family violence with a whole-of-government approach.
"The NSW Government is listening to victim-survivors and the sector and is committed to continue taking meaningful action against domestic and family violence."
Women's Community Shelters CEO Annabelle Daniel OAM said:
"The domestic and family violence sector knows the devastating impact of coercive control on the people we support every day. It's heartening to see so many people took positive action after seeing this campaign - talking with a friend or colleague, researching further, or reaching out to someone. The campaign represents the efforts of so many advocates, including many with lived expertise.
"Building understanding and awareness of coercive control across New South Wales, along with providing support to those experiencing it, will help us meaningfully interrupt cycles of violence."
Support:
If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, call the Police on Triple Zero / 000.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic and family violence, call the NSW Domestic Violence Line on 1800 65 64 63 for free counselling and referrals, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
For confidential advice, support, and referrals, contact 1800 RESPECT or 13 YARN.
