CCChat-Magazine_Issue-20

I think it’s a lack of understanding of
coercive control in the family courts that is
driving the ‘parental alienation’ furore. So,
in general, in terms of the impact of
legislation, the women I speak to say they
find it very helpful, that is gives them a
normative language to express what has
been done to them in a way that is helpful
for recovery. It’s useful for women to be
able to understand what has happened to
them, in terms of a criminal offence, and it
is quite validating.
Mainly, the impact of criminalising
coercive control is enormously positive,
because the criminal law does have a
powerful normative sociological function
that tells people what is acceptable and
what is not.
C: Yes, and I think that’s the thing: so that
even though the law is imperfect, it’s a lot
better than nothing, and even though
criminal justice, as a response, is a very
blunt instrument, it’s better than no
instrument, in my book.
M: Absolutely . I know you’ve got to get
on, are there any final words you’d like to
say around coercive control?
C: I think the thing that is really
preoccupying me at the moment is trying
to get something in the Domestic Abuse
Bill, which is currently going through
Parliament, to make sure that the
coercive control law applies to post
separation abuse. I think it’s so
important.
"The impact of criminalising coercive control is enormously positive,
because the criminal law does have a powerful normative sociological
function that tells people what is acceptable and what is not."
To be able to hold your head up and say:
‘yes, what happened to me was wrong’, I
think it is liberating and women tell me
they find that empowering.
M: I agree. As someone who has had
lived – experience but who hasn’t
benefited from the law, I would still say,
every single time, criminalise because
you then have a standard, you have
something that society can change for.
C: You say you haven’t benefited, but do
you think in a sense you are still able to
articulate what has been done to you, in a
way that you wouldn’t have been able to
before?
M: You’re right. I hadn't thought about it in
those terms and I certainly know more
going forward relationship-wise.
It’s heart-breaking that I have to tell
survivors I work with that they’re only
protected by the new law up and until the
point at which they are brave enough to
leave, it just sits really uncomfortably with
me.
M: It doesn’t make sense how the same
behaviour can be criminal in one aspect
but not in another.
C: In particular, for a lot of women, the
economic abuse and the difficulties with
child contact and the abuse of legal
process are actually so structurally
disastrous that it is impossible for them to
get on with their lives and that isn’t
covered by the existing harassment and
stalking legislation at all.
M: And just another reason for why it is
so difficult to leave the relationship.
Thank you so much Cassandra, it's been
really fascinating.
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