Home Office: Controlling or Coercive Behaviour in an Intimate or Family Relationship – Statutory Guidance Framework [December 2015]

The types of behaviour associated with coercion or control may or may not constitute a criminal offence in their own right. It is important to remember the presence of controlling or coercive behaviour does not mean that no other offence has been committed or cannot be charged. However, the perpetrator may limit space for action and exhibit a story of ownership and entitlement over the victim. Such behaviours might include:

— Isolating a person from their friends and family;

— Depriving them of their basic needs;

— Monitoring their time;

— Monitoring a person via online communication tools or using spyware;

— Taking control over aspects of their everyday life, such as where they can go, who they can see, what to wear and when they can sleep;

— Depriving them of access to support services, such as specialist support or medical services;

— Repeatedly putting them down such as telling them they are worthless;

— Enforcing rules and activity which humiliate, degrade or dehumanize the victim;

— Forcing the victim to take part in criminal activity such as shoplifting, neglect or abuse of children to encourage self-blame and prevent disclosure to authorities;

— Financial abuse including control of finances, such as only allowing a person a punitive allowance;

— Threats to hurt or kill;

— Threats to a child;

— Threats to reveal or publish private information (e.g. threatening to ‘out’ someone);

— Assault;

— Criminal damage (such as destruction of household goods);

— Rape;

— Preventing a person from having access to transport or from working.

This is not an exhaustive list.