A new survey has revealed that coercive control is at risk of becoming increasingly normalised in the UK, with 20% of adults having experienced this form of abuse in a relationship and 36% unaware it is a crime.
Commissioned by Maguire Family Law, a divorce and family law firm with specialisms in complex, international, and child abduction cases, the nationally representative survey of 2,000 people was prompted by concern among the firm’s partners regarding a notable increase in the number of divorce cases it handles which involve coercive control.
Of those who said they have been in a coercively controlling relationship, 14% admitted to still being in that relationship. Financial reasons were the most cited factor for staying with an abusive partner (41%), followed by fear of change (39%) and being alone (32%). Nearly a quarter (23%) said they have stayed in their damaging relationship due to culture, with a further 21% citing religion as the main factor. James Maguire, managing director at Maguire Family Law, said:
“We’ve noticed a steady rise over the years in the number of cases we handle in which our client might be either the victim or perpetrator of coercive control. Often, people on both sides are unaware that this is the case, and it might only come to their attention during divorce proceedings when this behaviour can intensify as a perpetrator tries to control the process.
Most often, clients don’t recognise the traits and it falls to us to explain that the behaviour they’ve experienced, or are displaying, is not ok. As a result, family lawyers increasingly need to be able to spot the signs of coercive control, know how to raise this with a client and how to provide the necessary support and signposting. We can identify if there are personal protection issues, advise on financial implications and educate those who feel they are financially trapped on their rights, to inform people that there are options available to them.”
Indeed, even though coercive control has been a criminal offence in England and Wales since 2015, more than 1 in 3 (36%) do not know that it is a crime. Criminal defence lawyer Cecilia Goodwin said:
“Coercive control can be difficult to recognise and is often the result of learned or entrenched patterns of behaviour. At times, it can be influenced by societal and cultural norms so it’s important to consider the wider context in relation to the background of both alleged perpetrators and victims.
What’s clear is that there needs to be greater exploration, consideration, and education around the behaviours that are called out by legislation. Increased awareness will aid in educating society about the impact of relevant behaviours, hopefully leading to behavioural change and reducing incidents of coercive and controlling behaviour.”
When it comes to getting help, almost half (49%) of those surveyed said they would not feel confident in knowing how to seek support for themselves or a friend in a coercively controlling relationship, further suggesting a need to educate people about the options available. With coercive control often coming to light during family law proceedings, family lawyers can play a key part in helping to raise awareness.
