In September 2020, a private member’s bill aiming to criminalise coercive control was introduced in the NSW parliament. Penalties under the bill includes jail terms of up to 10 years.  Coercive control is broadly defined as a pattern of behaviours used to intimidate, humiliate, surveil, and control another person. A number of high-profile family and domestic violence advocates and campaigners have thrown their support behind the bill and behind the idea of criminalising coercive control in australia more widely.  

In response to these advocates and the criminalisation campaign in general, 3CR Community Radio's Tuesday Breakfast show held a panel event titled Safety for Who?: Abolitionist perspectives on criminalising coercive control. This panel event was held on 11 November 2020 and and aimed to explore the anti-criminalisation arguments with those most affected and at-risk. The panel, as the name suggests, also explored how abolitionist perspectives can inform the way we address gender-based violence. In today's show, we will hear part of this panel discussion. To listen to the rest of the discussion, you can visit www.3cr.org.au/tuesday-breakfast

Please be aware that today’s show contains descriptions of physical, emotional and sexual violence. If this type of content is a trigger for you, please contact LifeLine on 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au, 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732, or your state-based service.