Does Banning ‘Coercive Control’ Prevent Domestic Violence?

Commentary “Preventable murder.” That’s how the West Australian radio show promoted their recent program arguing for new laws to criminalise coercive control laws in the state. The Relationships Australia manager interviewed for the program struggled to describe the type of controlling behaviour she was talking about, suggesting this could apply to a partner not liking a woman going out with her friends or spending money on herself. But the message was clear—locking up men for this type of controlling behaviour could prevent murder. That’s how the concept of coercive control was first sold to the public in this country by the grieving parents of Hannah Clarke, a Brisbane mother killed with her children in a horrific family homicide....