Abstract
The potential efficacy of a new offence of coercive control will be determined by the constellation of factors that surround its implementation. Drawing on experiences with s 76 of the Serious Crime Act 2015 (E&W) in England and Wales and the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 (Scot), these factors are identified as: a coherent national strategic framework; an articulation of the current dilemma posed to the justice system by policing domestic violence; centralised coordination by justice professionals; activist pressure from advocacy organisations such as Women’s Aid; and exhibitions of political will. I endorse the comprehensive, bespoke offence crafted in Scotland; however, the cases of Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic also illustrate how meaningful reform can be achieved despite narrow or ambiguous statutory language. I conclude by responding to critics of the new offence as ‘more law’, and by clarifying the definition of coercive control and the underlying value commitments.
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Stark, E. (2020). The ‘Coercive Control Framework’: Making Law Work for Women. In: McMahon, M., McGorrery, P. (eds) Criminalising Coercive Control . Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-0653-6_2
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