In recent years, coercive control has gained prominence in both legal and public discourse where the justice system has taken significant strides toward recognising the far-reaching impact of psychological abuse.

While coercive control is a criminal offence under the Serious Crime Act 2015, its role in divorce proceedings has continued to evolve, especially as technology-driven forms of abuse become more prevalent. The growing legal, cultural, and media attention surrounding coercive control is reshaping the divorce landscape, enabling survivors to seek more than just separation—they are demanding safety and protection from long-term harm.

What is coercive control?

Coercive control is a form of domestic abuse in which a person attempts to exert an unreasonable, oppressive amount of control over their partner’s life. They may, for example:

  • Impose rules about where the victim can go and who they can talk to
  • Insist the victim can only wear certain clothes or eat certain foods
  • Constantly monitor their partner’s movements, phoning and texting them with demands for updates on their whereabouts
  • Monitor and restrict the victim’s activities online
  • Restrict access to money or medical treatment
  • Try to cut the victim off from their friends and family

Emotional abuse of various kinds is also commonplace, grinding down the recipient’s self-confidence and ability to resist. Examples of this could include:

  • Insulting and humiliating the victim
  • Making threats or behaving in an intimidating manner
  • ‘Gaslighting’ – encouraging their partner to doubt their memories and perceptions by, for example, subtly or blatantly belittling their feelings, denying that certain things occurred, or making misleading statements. The curious name is a reference to a 1938 play called ‘Gas Light’, which depicted this kind of behaviour.

Is coercive control illegal?

Yes, it is now a criminal offence, but it did not become so until as recently as 2015. The Serious Crime Act of that year made several changes to the law, including the introduction, in section 27, of a new offence: ‘Controlling or Coercive Behaviour in an Intimate or Family Relationship’.

To be at risk of prosecution, the perpetrator must “repeatedly or continuously” engage in acts that they “know or ought to know” will have a “serious effect” on a person with whom they are “personally connected” – so the alleged victim must be a family member or someone they are in “an intimate personal relationship” with – or previously were.

The coercive behaviour must have caused the victim “to fear, on at least two occasions, that violence will be used against them” or else “serious alarm or distress which has a substantial adverse effect on their day-to-day activities.” Conviction could result in a large fine or imprisonment for as long as five years – and perhaps both.

It is worth remembering that this law is gender neutral. Although coercive control is often stereotyped as something done by men to women, women have been convicted of this behaviour too.

Legal recognition: A foundation for divorce proceedings

Although the introduction of no-fault divorce in 2022 simplified the process of legally ending a marriage in England and Wales, conduct can still play a role when there is a need to highlight abuse, especially in cases involving coercive control. A conviction for coercive control can be persuasive in shaping court orders around child arrangements, financial settlements, and protection measures.

However, even in the absence of a conviction, detailed evidence of coercive control, such as police reports, medical records, witness statements, and digital evidence, can provide the court with a full picture of the abusive context within which the marriage existed.

The rise of digital coercion

Technology-facilitated abuse, or “tech abuse,” has become one of the most insidious forms of coercive control. A May 2025 report by ITV News spotlighted the increasing use of digital tools by abusers to monitor, control, and intimidate their partners. This includes tracking devices, hacking into email and social media accounts, accessing cloud-based storage, coercing victims into sharing passwords, or installing spyware on phones.

According to NHS and Refuge data, nearly one in three women has reported experiencing some form of digital harassment from a current or former partner. The nature of this abuse often continues post-separation, making it a critical consideration in family proceedings. In response, courts are becoming more responsive to requests for protective injunctions that include digital surveillance bans and limits on electronic communication.

Expanded legal safeguards and protective orders

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 broadened the definition of domestic abuse to include emotional, psychological, and economic abuse, offering stronger legal tools to protect victims. More recently, the introduction of Domestic Abuse Protection Notices (DAPNs) and Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs) under pilot schemes across the UK, has further reinforced the law’s ability to respond swiftly and comprehensively to coercive control.

DAPOs, in particular, allow courts to impose conditions such as prohibiting contact, banning access to the family home, or restricting digital engagement. These measures can play a pivotal role in the divorce process, giving survivors the legal breathing room to proceed safely with separation.

Additionally, the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 has improved inter-agency cooperation, streamlining information-sharing between police, probation, and courts. This ensures that survivors don’t have to repeatedly recount traumatic experiences across different settings and allows family courts to access real-time data on criminal proceedings.

Practical considerations for survivors

For those navigating divorce in the context of coercive control, preparation and documentation are key. We recommend building a detailed file of evidence of abuse; this can include text messages, social media logs, screenshots, GPS tracking records, and third-party reports from employers, schools, or medical professionals.

Protection measures such as non-molestation orders and occupation orders can be sought alongside divorce to ensure the safety of the victim and any children involved. If there is a history of digital coercion, courts may also order restrictions on the use of shared devices, cloud accounts, and smart home systems.

When it comes to financial settlements, however, coercive control does not automatically impact the division of assets. Courts are generally reluctant to penalise conduct unless it has caused demonstrable financial harm. Nevertheless, awareness is growing around economic abuse, and the recent Supreme Court ruling stemming from the case of Waller-Edwards v One Savings Bank requiring banks to screen joint borrowers for signs of exploitation reflects an increasing recognition of these issues.

Children and coercive control

Coercive control often extends into parenting. Abusers may manipulate, alienate, or monitor children as a means of maintaining power over the other parent. Courts are increasingly attuned to this dynamic, with some judges ordering supervised contact, restrictions on social media posts involving children, and digital contact bans where appropriate.

Family courts are now more willing to scrutinise the role of coercive control in decisions about child arrangements. This can lead to tailored outcomes, such as barring an abusive parent from overnight stays or limiting unsupervised digital contact through messaging apps and gaming platforms.

Recent developments and shifting attitudes

Public and institutional awareness around coercive control continues to rise. A February 2025 report in The Guardian detailed how prosecutors are preparing to bring manslaughter charges in cases where prolonged coercive control led to a partner’s suicide, signalling a growing willingness to hold abusers accountable for the full scope of their harm.

Simultaneously, the NSPCC reported a 29% increase in contacts relating to coercive control, highlighting how young people, too, are increasingly vulnerable to abusive dynamics. Meanwhile, Ofcom has issued new guidance urging tech companies to take stronger action against misogynistic and abusive content online—a move that could support survivors in digital evidence collection and online safety.

The legal profession is also responding. More firms now specialise in domestic abuse-related family law, offering trauma-informed legal services and tech-safe divorce planning. Training for judges and court staff around coercive control and digital abuse is becoming more widespread, improving courtroom sensitivity and decision-making.

Divorce strategy in coercive control cases

Survivors of coercive control seeking divorce should approach the process with a clear and protective strategy. The following steps are strongly advised:

  • Gather evidence early: Include all forms of digital and in-person abuse—screenshots, GPS logs, emails, and social media threats.
  • Seek protective orders: Apply for non-molestation or occupation orders as needed to safeguard yourself and any children.
  • Consult tech-aware professionals: Work with solicitors who understand digital coercion and can provide practical solutions like phone resets, cloud access reviews, and social media monitoring.
  • Prepare for custody arrangements: Highlight any manipulation of children, online interference, or patterns of control that impact parenting.
  • Secure financial documentation: Identify signs of economic abuse, such as hidden bank accounts, coerced debts, or unauthorised use of credit.
  • Build a multi-agency safety net: Engage police, healthcare providers, schools, and social workers as appropriate.

As public understanding of coercive control deepens, the legal system is adjusting accordingly. Courts are increasingly receptive to the emotional, psychological, and digital dimensions of abuse, and protective tools like DAPOs offer new ways to shield survivors during and after divorce. While no-fault divorce provides a neutral path for many, those affected by coercive control now have more opportunities to articulate the harm they’ve endured—and to seek meaningful redress.

Legal reforms, media coverage, and cultural shifts are converging to dismantle the structures that once hid coercive abuse in plain sight. For survivors, this marks a vital step toward reclaiming not just legal freedom, but emotional and physical autonomy.

Contact us here at Major Family Law today if you are a victim of coercive control and for advice on all aspects of divorce and separation.