‘A genuine one usually sticks out a mile’: policing coercive control in England and Wales

ABSTRACT

In 2015, legislation was enacted in England and Wales to criminalise coercive control. While there has been considerable debate on the merits of the law, there has been little empirical study of its use in practice. This paper presents findings from a focused ethnography conducted in two police forces in England. Field observations with first response officers and specialist investigators reveal structural and social-cultural contexts that mitigate against successful implementation of the law. Specifically, we identify officer knowledge and attitudes, resourcing and the framing of the legislation itself as impeding its wider use. While we did not observe the unintended consequences feared by some observers, we conclude that systemic change is required if the theoretical benefits of the legislation are to be fully realised.

KEYWORDS:

• Coercive control
• police
• domestic abuse

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/9/section/76/enacted.

2 Womens-Aid-Response-to-Home-Office-DV-Law-Consultation-October-2014.pdf (netdna-ssl.com), Home-Office-consultation-Strengthening-the-Law-on-Domestic-Abuse.pdf (refuge.org.uk).

3 Serious Crime Bill Deb 20 January 2015 c188.

4 Serious Crime Bill Deb 20 January 2015 c189.

5 Personal correspondence with Home Office officials, first author.

6 At the time of writing, around half of English and Welsh forces have adopted the DA Matters training.

7 Impact assessment – strengthening the law on domestic abuse (publishing.service.gov.uk).

8 ‘He has ongoing, indefinite power to destroy our lives.’ Why the Domestic Abuse Bill must not forget victims of post-separation control – Surviving Economic Abuse.

9 Coercive or controlling behaviour now a crime – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).