The proposed Crimes Amendment (Coercive Control) Bill 2025 will create a standalone offence, based on the NSW model, with a maximum penalty of seven years' imprisonment for a "course of conduct" including emotional, psychological, financial and physical abuse, threats, isolation, and surveillance.
The legislation will finally give victims legal protection from harmful behaviours beyond physical violence, including sustained patterns of intimidation, isolation, humiliation, manipulation and control, and align Victoria with other jurisdictions.
The announcement builds on the Victorian Opposition's "Right to Ask, Right to Know" domestic violence disclosure scheme, which would let people request information about a partner's violent history and allow police to disclose where there is serious risk, but which Labor voted against in Parliament in November last year.
The Victorian Liberals and Nationals are calling on all parties to support this important legislation. This matter should be beyond politics.
Leader of the Opposition, Jess Wilson, said: "Victoria must finally call coercive control what it is, a crime, and take action to reduce this insidious behaviour.
"This is important legislation that we urge the Parliament to support. If this Bill is unsuccessful, a future government I lead will criminalise coercive control within our first 100 days."
Shadow Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence, Cindy McLeish, said: "Every time the crime statistics come out, they are getting worse; they are heading in the wrong direction.
"Whether it's intimidating behaviour, harassment, stalking or physical assaults, particularly on women, the numbers keep rising. There is more to do and criminalising coercive control is one mechanism to help address it.
"Coercive control is power based, controlling and manipulative behaviour. Too often people do not recognise it until it is too late.
"Putting it into legislation and building understanding in the community means victims can identify it earlier and prosecutions can act as a deterrent."
