Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress is being made to combat non-physical abuse such as coercive and controlling behaviour as part of our mission to end violence against women and girls.

Controlling or coercive behaviour (CCB) is an insidious form of domestic abuse, and we recognise the long-term emotional and psychological distress it can cause.

‘Freedom from violence and abuse: a cross government strategy to build a safer society for women and girls’, sets out a range of commitments to improve the response to CCB, including:

• Updating the Controlling or Coercive Behaviour Statutory Guidance to reflect the latest policy and practice. This will further strengthen the understanding of CCB by frontline agencies, such as the police;
• Investing £13.9 million this year into the National Centre for VAWG and Public Protection to strengthen the police response to VAWG crimes, including CCB; and
• Rolling out Domestic Abuse Protection Orders to all police forces and courts across England and Wales. These cover all forms of domestic abuse, including CCB, and can impose tougher restrictions on perpetrators.