Is someone you care about experiencing family and domestic violence?

Family and domestic violence doesn’t always leave visible scars. For friends, family, colleagues, and neighbours, recognising the signs of coercive control can be crucial in helping someone in danger. Coercive control is an insidious form of family and domestic violence that is used to control another person.

It is highly misunderstood, and its effects can be devastating. If someone you know seems trapped, isolated, or fearful, understanding the signs of coercive control and how to intervene safely could save their life. Coercive control is a pattern of behaviour that aims to control a person through emotional and psychological abuse.



The person experiencing coercive control may experience fear, humiliation, and isolation. It can involve restricting the person’s independence and freedom, monitoring their every move, or using threats and intimidation to break their sense of self-worth. Coercive control is family and domestic violence, and causes long-lasting financial, emotional and psychological harm.

Just because there’s no physical abuse doesn’t mean the risk of serious harm - or even death - is any lower. Coercive control is often subtle, and it can look different from one person to the next. The following can be signs of coercive control.

If you recognise them in someone you care about, they might be experiencing family and domestic violence: If you suspect that someone you care about is experiencing family and domestic violence, it’s important to act with caution. Here are supportive and useful steps you can take: If you know someone struggling, or need more information, the state government has worked closely with experts and the community to educate Western Australians about coercive control. Visit the website for more.

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