Coercive Control
Content warning
This webpage contains material regarding family and domestic violence. If this information is distressing for you or if you need support in regard to family or domestic violence there are a range of help and support services available.
Safety information
This webpage is about family and domestic violence, including coercive control. If you think someone may be checking the websites you visit or using technology in other ways to monitor you, you may wish to find out how you can browse more safely before you continue.
National Principles to Address Coercive Control in Family and Domestic Violence
The Australian Government recognises coercive control as a pressing issue that requires a coordinated national approach. The government has collaborated with all state and territory governments to develop the National Principles to Address Coercive Control in Family and Domestic Violence (the National Principles). The National Principles create a shared national understanding of coercive control, which is important for improving the safety of Australians, particularly women and children.
The Standing Council of Attorneys-General released the National Principles on 22 September 2023.
Visit the Standing Council of Attorneys-General page for details and to read the 22 September 2023 meeting communiqué.
- The National Principles to Address Coercive Control in Family and Domestic Violence
- National Principles on a page
- Easy Read
The 7 National Principles focus on:
- A shared understanding of the common features of coercive control.
- Understanding the traumatic and pervasive impacts of coercive control.
- Taking an intersectional approach to understanding features and impacts.
- Improving societal understanding of coercive control.
- Embedding lived experience.
- Coordinating and designing approaches across prevention, early intervention, response, and recovery and healing.
- Embedding the National Principles in legal responses to coercive control.
The National Principles are designed to be used by government and non‑government organisations involved in addressing coercive control. The National Principles will also be a tool to support greater community awareness of coercive control. By improving awareness of coercive control, the National Principles will inform more effective responses to family and domestic violence and promote more consistent and safer outcomes for victim‑survivors.
We have developed a range of supporting resources to accompany the National Principles, including fact sheets and videos, resources for First Nations audiences, language translations and resources for healthcare practitioners to recognise and respond to coercive control.
What is coercive control?
The National Principles recognise that coercive control is almost always an underpinning dynamic of family and domestic violence. Coercive control involves perpetrators using patterns of abusive behaviours over time in a way that creates fear and denies liberty and autonomy.
People who use coercive control may use physical or non-physical abusive behaviours, or a combination of both. All abusive behaviours are serious. Coercive control has traumatic and pervasive immediate and long-term impacts on victim‑survivors, their families and communities.
The signs of coercive control can be difficult to spot. People who use coercive control can use many different types of abusive behaviours to exert power and dominance. Behaviours can be subtle and insidious, and individually targeted and tailored to the victim‑survivor.
For further information see The National Principles to Address Coercive Control in Family and Domestic Violence.
Understanding coercive control – fact sheets
The below fact sheets provide further information about coercive control and its impacts:
- Understanding coercive control
- Understanding how coercive control can affect people with disability
- Understanding coercive control and economic and financial abuse
- Understanding how coercive control can affect LGBTQIA+ people
- Understanding how coercive control can affect people from migrant and refugee backgrounds
- Understanding how coercive control can affect older people
- Understanding technology-facilitated coercive control
Understanding coercive control – videos
What is Coercive control?
This animation may contain triggers for people experiencing safety issues or family and domestic violence.
Coercive control is when someone uses patterns of abusive behaviour against another person.
Over time, this creates fear and takes away the person's freedom and independence.
The person experiencing the abuse can feel trapped and afraid, making it difficult to leave a relationship or get help.
Coercive control can involve physical and non-physical abuse, and is almost always found in cases of family and domestic violence.
All abuse can cause lasting damage that builds up and gets worse over time.
Coercive control can happen in intimate partner relationships, even after they've ended.
It can also happen in family relationships.
Coercive control can be used against anyone, but is mostly used by men against women.
People who use coercive control to get what they want can be good at hiding their behaviour from others.
For support, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 any time, or visit 1800respect.org.au
For more information, and to read the National Principles to Address Coercive Control in Family and Domestic Violence go to ag.gov.au/coercivecontrol
Recognising the signs of coercive control in relationships
This animation may contain triggers for people experiencing safety issues or family and domestic violence.
Coercive control is when someone uses patterns of abusive behaviour against another person.
Over time, this creates fear and takes away the person's freedom and independence.
Coercive control can involve physical and nonphysical abuse.
The signs of coercive control can be hard to spot because the abuse can be subtle and targeted.
Some of the signs include:
- Controlling who a person sees, what they wear and where they go.
- Monitoring or tracking everything a person does.
- Controlling a person's finances, medication, food or exercise.
- Regularly criticising a person or blaming them so they doubt themselves and their experiences.
- Forcing someone to have sex or do sexual things.
- Stopping a person from following their religion or cultural practices.
- Threatening a person, their children, family or friends.
For support, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 any time, or visit 1800respect.org.au.
For more information, and to read the National Principles to Address Coercive Control in Family and Domestic Violence, go to ag.gov.au/coercivecontrol.
Am I experiencing coercive control?
This animation may contain triggers for people experiencing safety issues or family and domestic violence.
Coercive control is when someone uses patterns of abusive behaviour against another person.
Over time, this creates fear and takes away the person's freedom and independence.
Coercive control can involve physical and non-physical abuse, and is almost always found in cases of family and domestic violence.
People who use coercive control to get what they want can be good at hiding their behaviour from others, and their abuse can be subtle and targeted.
People experiencing coercive control may not realise they are being abused.
They may not realise that non-physical, abuse is also family and domestic violence.
They may think the abusive behaviour is a normal part of a relationship, especially if it is tolerated or excused by friends and family.
The person who uses coercive control may trick a person into doubting their own experiences, or blame them for the abuse.
If you think you might be experiencing coercive control or something doesn't feel quite right, contacting a confidential support service for advice is a good first step.
For support, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 any time, or visit 1800respect.org.au.
For more information, and to read the National Principles to Address Coercive Control in Family and Domestic Violence, go to ag.gov.au/coercivecontrol.
What can I do if someone I know is experiencing coercive control?
This animation may contain triggers for people experiencing safety issues or family and domestic violence.
Coercive control is when someone uses patterns of abusive behaviour against another person.
Over time, this creates fear and takes away the person's freedom and independence.
Coercive control can involve physical and non-physical abuse, and is almost always found in cases of family and domestic violence.
If you think someone you know might be experiencing coercive control, or something doesn't seem quite right, you can help.
Make sure they are in a safe place to talk.
Let them know you're worried about them.
Listen and take their fears seriously.
Don't tell them what to do, but let them know there are organisations that can help.
For support, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 any time, or visit 1800respect.org.au.
For more information, and to read the National Principles to Address Coercive Control in Family and Domestic Violence, go to ag.gov.au/coercivecontrol.
First Nations resources
The below resources have been adapted for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander audiences:
Coercive control in First Nations communities
This animation is for First Nations audiences.
Viewers are advised that this video may contain voices of deceased persons.
Viewers are warned that there may be words and descriptions that may be culturally sensitive and which might not normally be used in certain public or Community contexts.
This video may contain triggers for people experiencing safety issues or family and domestic violence.
Coercive control is when someone Close to You tries to control or be in charge of the things you do making you feel scared for your safety and well-being.
They might do this by hurting you or threatening to hurt you and make you shame in front of family and friends.
Coercive control is almost always found in cases of family and domestic violence.
This person controlling and hurting you can be anyone in your kinship system.
It can be Aunts Uncles and cousins or grandchildren and grandparents. it is usually a partner or an ex-partner sometimes it's hard to tell if you or someone close to you is experiencing coercive control because it can be hard to spot.
Some of the signs of coercive control include: trying to control when or if you see family and friends or go to community events.
Bullying you to take your bank card spend your money or not let you spend it.
Running you, your family or your mob down, separating you from culture community or country or questioning your Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander identity.
Making you have sex or do sexual things you don't want to even if they are your partner or ex-partner.
Threatening you your family or friends threatening to damage your home or threatening to report you to the police.
A person can do these things over and over again and the abuse can be physical or non-physical.
Often people may be too afraid to seek help from those around them for fear for their safety or not being believed.
Everyone has the right to feel safe and no one has to put up with abuse or violence of any kind.
If you think you or someone you know might be experiencing coercive control or something doesn't feel quite right there is help available.
For counselling information and support call 1 1800 respect on 1 1800 737 732 or call 13 Yan on 139276.
For more information and to read the national principles to address coercive control in family and domestic violence go to web page: ag.gov.au/coercivecontrol.
‘Strong Together’ artwork – Dunguludja Yapaneyepuk (in Yorta Yorta language)
Created by Bayadherra
Dunguludja Yapaneyepuk meaning ‘strong together’ in Yorta Yorta language depicts the establishment and implementation of genuine and respectful relationships within the community to advance resilience, strength and personal growth of victim‑survivors of coercive control. Pink and purple yarning circles are a communal meeting place to gather together, sharing stories and experiences in a culturally safe environment. The yarning circles are linked by orange journey lines which represent community connection and the shared journey of healing, promoting the development of inner confidence and resilience. The colour orange is reflective of the Sun, The Giver of Life who we draw strength and warmth from on this journey. The white dots surrounding these yarning circles acknowledge community understanding and outreach; these dots will spread outwards to represent the increase of community understanding and awareness of victim‑survivors' stories to provide greater support. The use of pink links to bloodlines, nurturing and the importance of family and support networks towards holistic healing.
The dashed blue lines represent the formation of different healing pathways of victim‑survivors. These lines are organic and free-flowing to acknowledge how healing and growth is a personal experience and differs for each individual. The flowing river, waterholes and surrounding dots emphasise water as an important element of Country and culture. Water holds significant properties towards physical, emotional and spiritual healing and symbolises the rejuvenation of our spiritual wellbeing.
This artwork has been used in the First Nations resources.
Resources for Young People
The below resources have been adapted to assist young people to understand coercive control:
- Young People and Relationships: Identifying Coercive Control
- Young People and Relationships: Identifying Coercive Control – A Guide for Parents, Guardians and Adults that Work with Young People
Young People and Relationships: Identifying Coercive Control
That's me and Maya.
We've been friends forever.
When she started dating Jay, it seemed amazing.
He was always so romantic.
But it did seem a little much...especially that early in their relationship.
One weekend, we were at a party and Maya added a picture to her story.
When Jay saw it, he completely blew up, criticising and accusing her of cheating.
She said, "He's just protective."
But monitoring your social media or controlling what you do or wear is never okay.
Lately, he's been asking Maya to send nudes.
He said she would if she really loved him.
She wasn't really keen, but didn't want him to get mad.
But nobody should ever make you do things you don't want to do.
Maya never hangs out with us anymore.
Jay doesn't like her seeing us.
She's way quieter now.
If someone makes you feel scared, trapped, takes away your freedom, makes you do things you don't want to do, hurts, or isolates you, this might be coercive control.
Coercive control is a pattern of abusive behaviour over time, and can be physical or non-physical.
It can be used against anyone, but is mostly used by men against women.
There's no place for coercive control in a healthy relationship.
If you or someone you know might be experiencing coercive control or you are concerned about your own behaviour, contacting a support service is a good first step.
Learn more at ag.gov.au/coercivecontrol.
Young People and Relationships: Identifying Coercive Control – Guidance for Parents, Guardians and Adults that Work with Young People
Maya's always been really outgoing at school, but since she started seeing Jay, she doesn't sit with her old friends anymore.
She seems much quieter these days.
On the weekend, Maya's family went to the beach.
They'd always loved going together, but this time, Maya said she would have to check with Jay.
She didn't put a phone down the whole time to answer all his calls and texts.
Jay keeps turning up unannounced to Maya's soccer training.
At first it seemed sweet, but she told him she can't talk, and he still keeps showing up every week.
These behaviours could be signs of coercive control.
Coercive control is when someone uses patterns of abusive behaviour against another person.
Over time, this creates fear and takes away freedom and independence.
It can include physical and non-physical abuse.
Having open conversations about healthy relationships with teenagers can help them recognise coercive control.
Make sure they understand that no one has the right to make them feel scared, hurt them, or make them do things they don't want to do.
Support is available.
Contact 1-800-RESPECT or call the Men's Referral Service.
Learn more about coercive control at ag.gov.au/coercivecontrol.
Guides for healthcare practitioners
Healthcare professionals are often a first point of contact for people experiencing coercive control. As such, they can provide a critical intervention opportunity. To this end, we have developed two practical resources to support healthcare practitioners recognise and respond to coercive control.
Help and support
If you, or someone you know, need help, the following services are available:
- 1800RESPECT – National family, domestic and sexual violence support counselling service. This service is free and confidential. Available 24 hours, 7 days a week.
1800 737 732
1800respect.org.au - Men’s Referral Service – For men in Australia who are concerned about their use of violence or abusive behaviours. Available 8am to 9pm (Monday – Friday); 9am to 6pm (Saturday and Sunday).
1300 766 491
www.ntv.org.au - Sexual, Domestic and Family Violence Helpline – For anyone in Australia whose life has been impacted by sexual, domestic or family violence. Available 24 hours, 7 days a week.
1800 943 539 - Kids Helpline – Free support and counselling for people aged 5 to 25. Available 24 hours, 7 days a week.
1800 551 800