On Thursday, NDP MP Laurel Collins called on all Members of Parliament to support her bill to make coercive and controlling behaviour illegal under the Criminal Code, as the bill goes into its second reading.
Coercive control is a pattern of abuse that can include threats, humiliation, isolating the person from support, and depriving them of independence.
“Coercive control is abuse, but historically it’s been overlooked and downplayed – which as a whole hurts women,” said Collins. “It’s not only dehumanizing and hurtful, but it is one of the most common precursors to physical abuse and femicide. Without it being a part of the criminal code, there’s very little women experiencing this form of abuse can do until it escalates.”
Over 95 per cent of victims of intimate partner violence have also reported experiencing coercive behaviour and control. This pattern of behaviour leaves long-lasting impacts on survivors, including mental health concerns, feeling serious distress, fear, and isolation.
Two years ago, the Justice Committee recommended criminalizing coercive behaviour to protect people experiencing domestic abuse and to prevent situations from taking a turn for the worse. The Liberals haven’t moved forward on it.
“I’ve seen firsthand what it looks like when women are victims of this type of abuse, and it’s devastating on its own, but also so often it eventually escalates to physical violence,” said Collins
There were 127,082 victims of police-reported family violence (violence committed by spouses, parents, children, siblings and extended family members) in 2021, a rate of 336 victims per 100,000 population. Statistics Canada said that this marked the fifth consecutive year of increase.
