Coercive control underpins most domestic violence deaths but making it illegal is complicated

It’s almost always a factor when someone kills their partner but coercive control isn’t widely understood.

Of the dozens of people who gave evidence at a NSW inquiry this week, it was author and journalist Jess Hill who summed up best why coercive control needs to be recognised in the law.

“Coercive control is not defined by incidents, it’s not even really defined as a form of abuse, it is a pattern of entrapment,” she told the inquiry.

“This is the massive paradigm shift, a shift that we are seeking in this country … a shift that would see the community stop asking ‘why didn’t she just leave’ and start asking ‘why did he hold her hostage?'”

Over three days this week, women’s organisations, domestic violence workers and advocates, police,…