Criminalising coercive control in SA

The State Government has passed new laws making coercive control a crime.

What is coercive control?

Coercive control is a form of domestic violence that is deeply damaging. It means someone is trying to dominate, manipulate and control another person.

Coercive control can include:

• making it hard for you to see your friends and family
• controlling your money
• monitoring what you say, what you wear and even what you eat or when you sleep.

Use the See the Signs website to learn more about what coercive control looks like.

Easy Read paper explaining coercive control and the law (PDF 2.2 MB)

What are the new laws?

The State Government has passed legislation that criminalises controlling behaviours. It is illegal for a current or ex partner to try to restrict:

• where you can go or what you can do
• where you work or study
• how you take part in social, community or political activities
• decisions about your own body
• access to legal assistance, support, property, or basic necessities such as water, sleep, mobility aids or food.

Offenders convicted of coercive control will face up to 7 years in prison.

Use the Attorney-General Department’s website to learn about coercive control in South Australia

Next steps

The Government is consulting with key stakeholders before the laws come into effect including:

• family violence support services
• the courts
• South Australia police
• the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Past community consultation on coercive control laws

The Department of Human Services, through the Office for Women, consulted with the community in 2022 and 2023 to help shape coercive control laws.

Key insights are summarised in the papers below:

• Discussion paper - Aboriginal women and communities (PDF 374.9 KB)
• Discussion paper - Multicultural women and communities  (PDF 364.0 KB)
• Discussion paper - Women with lived experience (PDF 323.9 KB)
• Discussion paper - Young people (PDF 334.3 KB)
• Discussion paper - LGBTIQA+ community (PDF 354.5 KB)