New resources for young people to tackle coercive control

The Albanese Government is today releasing resources to help young people recognise and combat coercive control.

Young people have unique experiences of coercive control and these resources are designed to assist them and their loved ones to identify coercive control and seek help.

The resources include videos and fact sheets for young people entering relationships for the first time, as well as adults in their lives, to boost understanding of what coercive control looks like.

Coercive control is a pattern of abusive behaviour designed to create power and dominance over another person or persons. It can involve physical and non-physical abuse and, over time, creates fear and takes away the person's freedom and independence.

Coercive control almost always underpins family and domestic violence. Understanding and identifying these dynamics is fundamental to an effective response to family and domestic violence.

These new resources build upon an existing suite of materials including fact sheets and videos, tailored resources for First Nations people, language translations and guides for healthcare practitioners to recognise and respond to coercive control.

The resources build upon the landmark agreement by the Standing Council of Attorneys-General in September 2023 to endorse National Principles to Address Coercive Control in Family and Domestic Violence which, for the first time, create a shared national understanding of coercive control.

The resources also deliver on one of the preventative actions in the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children. The National Plan is the overarching national policy framework that guides actions towards ending gender-based violence in a generation.

If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, domestic, family or sexual violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, chat online via 1800RESPECT, or text 0458 737 732.