Today the ACT Government will introduce legislation to criminalise coercive control.
The Crimes (Coercive Control) Amendment Bill 2026 will improve justice system responses to domestic and family violence, reflecting the reality of the patterns of controlling and abusive behaviour that cause significant harm for victim-survivors, their families and the community.
The Bill introduces a new offence capturing family violence as a course of conduct, rather than a single incident, used to coerce or control a partner or family member. This offence will better reflect the reality of victim-survivors' experiences of coercive control as an ongoing and cumulative experience.
This legislation is part of broader reforms to strengthen responses to domestic, family and sexual violence in the ACT. It follows last week's 2026-27 ACT Budget announcement of $44.2 million over four years to strengthen frontline services and provide long‑term funding, as well as yesterday's launch of the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Strategy First Action Plan.
Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services and the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence, Dr Marisa Paterson, said the reform was an important step forward in strengthening the Territory's response to domestic and family violence.
"Coercive control is a dangerous dynamic which denies the autonomy and humanity of victim survivors through subtle, calculated actions designed to create fear and control. It's a pattern which develops over time and is almost always present in situations of intimate partner homicide" said Dr Paterson.
"These harms can occur in all types of family relationships, across all communities.
"Today on LGBTIQA+ Domestic Violence Awareness Day I want to particularly acknowledge the impacts of domestic and family violence on LGBTIQA+ people and commend the work of community advocates here in the ACT. Their contribution in the development of this Bill has provided critical insight.
"We have taken careful steps to ensure the legislation responds to advice from victim survivors and community stakeholders and includes strong safeguards, so it can effectively target this harmful behaviour without unintended consequences," said Dr Paterson.
Coercive control is a dangerous dynamic often present in domestic and family violence situations, where patterns of behaviour are used to dominate and control a family member and limit their independence and autonomy.
Coercive control can include financial abuse, tracking and stalking behaviours, gaslighting, abusive and threatening language and systems abuse which can continue long after separation.
Quotes attributable to ACT Chief Police Officer, Scott Lee
"We welcome the proposed legislation and the message it sends to victim-survivors of coercive control and family violence. These amendments strengthen ACT Policing's response to family violence by creating a standalone offence for coercive control."
"Coercive control has long been understood as a feature of family violence. These amendments give police a clearer basis to take action in response to that behaviour, intervene earlier where appropriate, and prosecute offending that may previously have been addressed only as part of a broader pattern of abuse."
