COERCIVE CONTROL LEGISLATION is a cutting edge tool for law enforcement in domestic abuse prevention. Research has shown that coercive control (also known as intimate terrorism) is the high risk marker for domestic homicide, specifically femicide, filicide, and familicide.
According to the 2018 Global Study on Homicide: Gender-Related Killing of Women and Girls, 50 000 women were killed globally by an intimate partner or family member.
More countries around the world are recognizing that to end the scourge of domestic homicide coercive control must be criminalized.
Please consider taking action in your country by reaching out to your local representatives, informing them about coercive control, and asking for this lifesaving legislation.
Africa
| Country | Bill | Status | Sponsor | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algeria | ||||
| Angola | ||||
| Benin | ||||
| Botswana | ||||
| Burkina Faso | ||||
| Burundi | ||||
| Cabo Verde | ||||
| Cameroon | ||||
| Central African Republic | ||||
| Chad | ||||
| Comoros | ||||
| Congo | ||||
| Cote d’Ivoire | ||||
| Djibouti | ||||
| Egypt | ||||
| Equatorial Guinea | ||||
| Eritrea | ||||
| Eswatini | ||||
| Ethiopia | ||||
| Gabon | ||||
| Gambia | ||||
| Ghana | ||||
| Guinea | ||||
| Guinea-Bissau | ||||
| Kenya | ||||
| Lesotho | ||||
| Liberia | ||||
| Libya | ||||
| Madagascar | ||||
| Malawi | ||||
| Mali | ||||
| Mauritania | ||||
| Mauritius | ||||
| Morocco | ||||
| Mozambique | ||||
| Namibia | ||||
| Niger | ||||
| Nigeria | ||||
| Rwanda | ||||
| Sao Tome and Principe | ||||
| Senegal | ||||
| Seychelles | ||||
| Sierra Leone | ||||
| Somalia | ||||
| South Africa | ||||
| South Sudan | ||||
| Sudan | ||||
| Tanzania | ||||
| Togo | ||||
| Tunisia | ||||
| Uganda | ||||
| Zambia | ||||
| Zimbabwe |
Asia
| Country | Bill | Status | Sponsor | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | ||||
| Armenia | ||||
| Azerbaijan | ||||
| Bahrain | ||||
| Bangladesh | ||||
| Bhutan | ||||
| Brunei | ||||
| Cambodia | ||||
| China | ||||
| Cyprus | ||||
| East Timor | ||||
| Georgia | ||||
| India | ||||
| Indonesia | ||||
| Iran | ||||
| Iraq | ||||
| Israel | ||||
| Japan | ||||
| Jordan | ||||
| Kazakhstan | ||||
| Kuwait | ||||
| Kyrgystan | ||||
| Laos | ||||
| Lebanon | ||||
| Malaysia | ||||
| Maldives | ||||
| Mongolia | ||||
| Myanmar | ||||
| Nepal | ||||
| North Korea | ||||
| Oman | ||||
| Pakistan | ||||
| Palestine | ||||
| Philippines | ||||
| Qatar | ||||
| Russia | ||||
| Saudi Arabia | ||||
| Singapore | ||||
| South Korea | ||||
| Sri Lanka | ||||
| Syria | ||||
| Taiwan | ||||
| Tajikistan | ||||
| Thailand | ||||
| Turkey | ||||
| Turkmenistan | ||||
| United Arab Emirates | ||||
| Uzbekistan | ||||
| Vietnam | ||||
| Yemen |
Australia
| Countries | Bill | Status | Sponsor | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | ||||
| Queensland | In development | In development as of February 19, 2020 | Annastacia Palaszczuk | |
| South Australia | ||||
| Tasmania | ||||
| Victoria | ||||
| Western Australia |
Central America
| Countries | Bill | Status | Sponsor | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belize | ||||
| Costa Rica | ||||
| El Salvador | ||||
| Guatemala | ||||
| Honduras | ||||
| Mexico | ||||
| Nicaragua | ||||
| Panama |
Europe
Although 39 European states have signed the Istanbul Convention, only twenty one (21) have ratified it and only six (6) states are in compliance with Article 33: Psychological Violence: “Parties shall take the necessary legislative or other measures to ensure that the intentional conduct of seriously impairing a person’s psychological integrity through coercion or threats is criminalized.”
Ireland alone has passed legislation using the term coercive control.
| Country | Bill | Status | Sponsor | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albania | ||||
| Andorra | ||||
| Armenia | ||||
| Austria | ||||
| Azerbaijan | ||||
| Belgium | ||||
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | ||||
| Bulgaria | ||||
| Croatia | ||||
| Cyprus | ||||
| Czech Republic | ||||
| Denmark | ||||
| Estonia | ||||
| Finland | ||||
| France | Law on Violence Against Women Within Couples Istanbul Convention: Art. 33 | Enacted | September 10, 2010, Amended 2015 | |
| Georgia | ||||
| Germany | ||||
| Greece | ||||
| Hungary | ||||
| Ireland | Domestic Violence Act 2018, Section 39 | Enacted | 2018 | |
| Italy | ||||
| Latvia | ||||
| Liechtenstein | ||||
| Lithuania | ||||
| Luxembourg | ||||
| Malta | ||||
| Monaco | ||||
| Montenegro | Istanbul Convention: Art. 33 | Compliant | ||
| Netherlands | ||||
| North Macedonia | ||||
| Poland | ||||
| Portugal | Istanbul Convention: Art. 33 | Compliant | ||
| Republic of Moldova | ||||
| Romania | ||||
| San Marino | ||||
| Serbia | Istanbul Convention: Art. 33 | Compliant | ||
| Slovak Republic | ||||
| Slovenia | ||||
| Spain | ||||
| Sweden | Law Against Intimate Partner Violence Istanbul Convention: Art. 33 | Compliant | Maj Karlsson | |
| Switzerland | ||||
| Ukraine |
Middle East
| Country | Bill | Status | Sponsor | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bahrain | ||||
| Cyprus | ||||
| Egypt | ||||
| Iran | ||||
| Iraq | ||||
| Israel | ||||
| Jordan | ||||
| Kuwait | ||||
| Lebanon | ||||
| Oman | ||||
| Palestine | ||||
| Qatar | ||||
| Saudi Arabia | ||||
| Syria | ||||
| Turkey | ||||
| The United Arab Emirates | ||||
| Yemen |
North America
Canada
In Bill C-247, Member of Parliament for Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke Randall Garrison is proposing an amendment to Canada’s Criminal Code “to create an offense of engaging in controlling or coercive conduct that has a significant impact on the person towards whom the conduct is directed, including a fear of violence, a decline in their physical or mental health and a substantial adverse effect on their day-to-day activities.”
| Country | Bill | Status | Sponsor | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | ||||
| British Columbia | ||||
| Manitoba | ||||
| New Brunswick | ||||
| Newfoundland and Labrador | ||||
| Nova Scotia | ||||
| Ontario | Bill 207 | Approved | Doug Downey | (circa) March 1, 2021 |
| Prince Edward Island | ||||
| Quebec | ||||
| Saskatchewan |
Caribbean
| Countries | Bill | Status | Sponsor | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belize | ||||
| Costa Rica | ||||
| El Salvador | ||||
| Guatemala | ||||
| Honduras | ||||
| Mexico | ||||
| Nicaragua | ||||
| Panama |
United States of America
| State | Bill | Status | Sponsor | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | ||||
| Arizona | ||||
| Arkansas | ||||
| California | SB1141 | Enacted | Sen. Susan Rubio | September 29, 2020 |
| Colorado | ||||
| Connecticut | SB77 (Jennifer’s Law) | Pending | Sen. Alex Kasser | Pending |
| Delaware | ||||
| Florida | ||||
| Georgia | ||||
| Hawaii | HB2425 | Enacted | David Tarnas | September 15, 2020 |
| Idaho | ||||
| Illinois | ||||
| Indiana | ||||
| Iowa | ||||
| Kansas | ||||
| Kentucky | ||||
| Louisiana | ||||
| Maine | ||||
| Maryland | HB1352 | Pending | Susan K. McComas | February 7, 2020 |
| Massachusetts | ||||
| Michigan | ||||
| Minnesota | ||||
| Mississippi | ||||
| Missouri | ||||
| Montana | ||||
| Nebraska | ||||
| Nevada | ||||
| New Hampshire | ||||
| New Jersey | ||||
| New Mexico | ||||
| New York | S5306 | Pending | Kevin S. Parker | April 24, 2019 |
| North Carolina | ||||
| North Dakota | ||||
| Ohio | ||||
| Oklahoma | ||||
| Oregon | ||||
| Pennsylvania | ||||
| Rhode Island | ||||
| South Carolina | HB5271 | Pending | February 20, 2020 | |
| South Dakota | ||||
| Tennessee | ||||
| Texas | ||||
| Utah | ||||
| Vermont | ||||
| Virginia | ||||
| Washington | ||||
| West Virginia | ||||
| Wisconsin | ||||
| Wyoming |
South America
| Country | Bill | Status | Sponsor | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | ||||
| Bolivia | ||||
| Brazil | ||||
| Chile | ||||
| Colombia | ||||
| Ecuador | ||||
| French Guiana *Département of France | ||||
| Guyana | ||||
| Paraguay | ||||
| Peru | ||||
| Suriname | ||||
| Uruguay | ||||
| Venezuela |
United Kingdom
| Country | Bill | Status | Sponsor | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| England | Serious Crimes Act | Enacted | December 29, 2015 | |
| Northern Ireland | Bill 03/17-22 | Pending | Naomi Long | |
| Scotland | The Domestic Abuse Act | Enacted | March 9, 2018 | |
| Wales | Serious Crimes Act | Enacted | December 29, 2015 |