Coercive control is real, serious, and can be profoundly damaging. But as debate around new laws intensifies, an important question remains: how do we protect victims without creating systems that become overly subjective, gender-skewed, or harmful to healthy relationships?
This article by Felicity Stryjak raises concerns about the expanding use of coercive control laws, especially where ordinary human dynamics (persuasion, negotiation, parenting, boundary-setting, concern for safety, or conflict within intimate relationships) risk being retrospectively interpreted through a criminal lens...
Coercive control legislation and the unintended consequences for healthy human relationships
Written by Felicity Stryjak
centreformalepsychology.com/…
A central argument is that domestic abuse frameworks often remain heavily gendered in research, policy and implementation, despite plentiful evidence that men are also victims of manipulation, intimidation, financial pressure, social isolation, and coercive behaviour. The article questions whether male experiences are sufficiently recognised, studied, or supported.
The piece also warns against simplistic narratives that cast one sex primarily as perpetrators and the other as victims. Healthy relationships are complex. Human beings can behave well, and badly. Lasting solutions require honesty about the experiences of women and men, not ideological blind spots.
None of this means dismissing abuse. It means striving for balance: clear laws, strong due process, recognition of male and female victimisation, better relationship education, healthier cultural norms, and approaches that strengthen trust, responsibility, and social cohesion rather than deepen division...
There is deep cynicism about the application of domestic violence laws by police and courts, suspicion about systematic bias of family law against males, sharply polarised views regarding the huge funding streams that flow to pro-female causes, and very substantial concern about the biased implementation of coercive control legislation.
If we want safer families and stronger relationships, then we need systems that are fair, evidence-based, compassionate, and genuinely inclusive of everyone.