In a historic move, Members of Parliament have unanimously voted to criminalize coercive control in Canada. Coercive control is a pattern of behavior associated with domestic abuse. This new legislation, introduced as a private member’s bill by New Democrat MP Laurel Collins, aims to address various forms of psychological manipulation and control within intimate relationships.
Bill to Criminalize Coercive Control in Canada
CBC News reports that the bill, which passed its third reading on Wednesday, comes after months of advocacy by Collins. She introduced it in response to abusive behavior she witnessed in her own family. The legislation targets actions such as controlling an intimate partner’s movements, employment, finances, or other personal properties. Collins argues that these behaviors are part of a larger pattern of abuse designed to limit a victim’s freedom and choices.
The bill now proceeds to the Senate, where it will be debated and studied before potentially becoming law. Collins, representing Victoria, expressed her hope that senators will recognize the urgency of the issue and pass the bill promptly.
Collins shared that the issue hit particularly close to home when her sister’s partner confiscated her keys, bank cards, and cellphone, and attempted to prevent her from leaving the house. She highlighted that many survivors and victims of intimate partner violence often face similar control tactics. These include financial control, restricted access to transportation, tracking movements, and dictating what victims can wear or eat.
Background and Broader Context
It has been over two years since a parliamentary committee recommended the criminalization of coercive control to better support victims of intimate partner violence. Collins emphasized the severe consequences of such behavior, noting that a woman is killed in Canada every six days due to intimate partner violence. She pointed out that coercive control is a common precursor to femicide, even in cases where there has been no physical violence.
Calls for Expanded Definition
Law professor Janine Benedet from the University of British Columbia, who researches sexual violence against women, acknowledged the significance of the bill but suggested it could be broader in scope. Benedet noted that coercive control can also occur in other relationships, such as those between caregivers and disabled individuals or fathers and adolescent daughters. These situations, she argued, can also lead to physical and sexual abuse.
Benedet highlighted the need for the legislation to encompass these broader contexts to ensure all victims of coercive control can recognize their experiences as abuse and seek help.
Historical Context and Previous Attempts
This is the second attempt in recent years by the federal NDP to introduce such legislation. MP Randall Garrison from British Columbia previously brought forward a similar bill two years ago. Collins’s current bill builds on Garrison’s efforts, aiming to create specific offenses targeting coercive control.
The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police has been a strong advocate for such legislation, repeatedly urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government to address coercive control. Statistics from 2018 reveal that 44 percent of women in relationships reported experiencing some form of abuse from a partner, underscoring the widespread nature of the issue.
The move to criminalize coercive control in Canada follows in the footsteps of other countries like the UK, Ireland, and some states in Australia, which have already taken similar steps. These nations have recognized the profound impact of psychological abuse and have implemented laws to protect victims and hold perpetrators accountable.
Related Legal Provisions and Recommendations
Canada already has provisions under the Divorce Act that consider family violence, including coercive and controlling behavior, when issuing contact orders concerning children. Additionally, the final report from the Mass Casualty Commission, which investigated the 2020 Nova Scotia mass shooting, recommended increased action to address coercive control. The report included testimonies from domestic violence experts who revealed that the shooter had subjected his spouse to controlling and intimidating tactics for years before his deadly rampage.
As the bill moves to the Senate, advocates for victims of domestic abuse remain hopeful that this critical legislation will soon become law, providing much-needed protection and support to those affected by coercive control in Canada.
Featured image: Laurel Collins MP discuss bill to criminalize coercive control in Canada. Source: YouTube Screenshot / CPAC.
