LOBBYING TO GOVERNMENT

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New South Wales

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On 16 November 2022, NSW passed a Bill making coercive control a criminal offence in domestic (intimate partner) relationships: Crimes Legislation Amendment (Coercive Control) Act 2022 No 65.

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From July 2024, coercive control will be a criminal offence in NSW when a person uses abusive behaviours towards a current or former intimate partner with the intention to coerce or control them. People found guilty under the new law will face up to seven years in jail. 

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The criminal offence will capture repeated patterns of physical or non-physical abuse used to hurt, scare, intimidate, threaten or control someone. The law will only apply to abusive behaviour that happens after the law starts.

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Queensland

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Coercive control will become a criminal offence and removing a condom without consent will be considered rape under historic laws passed by Queensland parliament on 6 March 2024.

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Under sweeping reform passed in an omnibus bill, coercive control will become a criminal offence in 2025 and attract a maximum penalty of 14 years.

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You Can Make An Impact

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You can write to your local State or Federal Member of Parliament as well as the federal or your state's Attorney General detailing your cult experience and ask them to seek a change in legislation to make coercive control a criminal offence for cultic groups and groups generally, for example gangs and other seemingly legitimate organisations which use deceptive and coercive recruitment and commit abusive behaviour.

 

Below are the contact details for the Australian Attorney General and State Attorneys General whose departments are responsible for introducing Bills into Parliament to instigate changes to the law. 

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• Include your email address or postal address (PO Box or street address)

• Outline your experience and what you are hoping to achieve

• Provide names, dates, locations and legal case numbers if relevant

• Ask them to respond to you

• If you feel comfortable, ask to meet with them to chat in person.