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South Australia has criminalised Coercive Control

In a landmark move on 4 September 2025, South Australia became the third Australian state to pass legislation criminalising coercive control. This recognises patterns of abusive behaviour, such as monitoring, isolating, or intimidating a partner, as serious harm, even when no physical violence is present. The offence will carry penalties of up to seven years’ imprisonment, and is expected to come into effect in 2027.

For Catherine House, this change has real implications. Many women who come through our doors experience coercive control, often as a precursor to other types of violence. Criminalisation gives legal weight to those earlier warning signs, possibly enabling earlier intervention and accountability. 

By naming coercive control as a crime, the law acknowledges the experiences of countless women who have lived under these invisible forms of abuse. It reinforces the need for safe housing, specialised support, and recovery-focused services, all of which remain at the heart of what Catherine House provides.

Signs of Coercive Control

Coercive control is a pattern of behaviour where someone uses fear, pressure, or manipulation to gain power over someone else. Feeling unsafe, afraid, or constantly unsure in a relationship is not love; it’s abuse. Click the button below to learn more.

🚩 making it hard for you to see your friends and family

🚩 always needing to know where you are and what you are doing

🚩 checking your phone, your computer and your social media

🚩 any actions or behaviours that make you feel like you’re being watched, or like you can’t act like yourself because you’ll be punished

🚩 telling you what you can and can’t wear, or where you can and can’t go

🚩 not letting you have control over your own money, or where you work

🚩 not letting you practice your faith or spirituality in ways that you want to

🚩 any actions or behaviours that make you feel forced into doing something you don’t want to do, including sexual or private activities

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