In a significant stride towards advancing the protection of domestic violence victims, New Jersey has recently made headlines with its groundbreaking legislative reform. Joining California, New York, Illinois, Minnesota, and Washington, New Jersey is now among the first states in the U.S. to legally recognize coercive control as a form of domestic violence. According to NJ.com, the bill sets a new precedent for how restraining orders are issued and broadening the scope of behaviors considered abusive under the law.
Patch reported that, on a unanimous vote, the New Jersey Senate passed a bill mandating courts to consider patterns of coercive control when deliberating the issuance of a restraining order. This legislative action underscores a pivotal shift in understanding and addressing the complexities of domestic violence, transcending the traditional focus on physical abuse to include the subtler, yet profoundly damaging, forms of manipulation and control.
Coercive control, as defined by the bill, encompasses a range of manipulative behaviors designed to strip victims of their autonomy and independence. Among these are the deprivation of basic necessities, purposeful isolation from support networks including friends and family, and excessive monitoring of a person’s movements, communications, or finances. Such behaviors, often insidious and escalating over time, work to erode an individual’s sense of self, self-esteem, and ultimately, their freedom.
The legislative journey culminated with Governor Phil Murphy signing the bill into law, marking a historic moment for domestic violence advocacy in New Jersey. This legal acknowledgment of coercive control as a component of domestic abuse is a testament to the tireless efforts of survivors and advocates who have campaigned for a more inclusive definition of violence.
Courtney Gilmartin, a survivor and advocate for the change, voiced the foundational role of coercive control in domestic abuse scenarios. “It’s like the underpinning of it all,” Gilmartin stated [via NJ.com], underlining the importance of recognizing these controlling behaviors in legal proceedings, particularly in the context of child custody cases. The new law, she hopes, will eliminate the legal gray areas that previously left some victims without adequate protection.
The passage of this bill, initially introduced in the state Assembly in January 2022, represents a collective victory for advocates like Gilmartin and the nonprofit group New Jersey Protective Moms. Their grassroots campaign mobilized affected women to engage with legislators, sharing personal stories of coercive control to illuminate the critical need for legal reform.
This legislative breakthrough not only offers added protection under the law for victims but also signifies a broader societal recognition of the various dimensions of domestic violence. By acknowledging the coercive control tactics abusers use to maintain power over their victims, New Jersey sets an example for other states to follow, encouraging a more nuanced and effective approach to protecting individuals from all forms of domestic abuse.
