Coercive control bill should tackle familial elder abuse

Unanimously passed by the House of Commons in June 2024 and now at second reading in the Senate, Bill C-332 would make coercive control by intimate partners a standalone offence, punishable by up to 10 years in prison for the most serious cases. The Criminal Code defines intimate partners as current or former spouses, common-law partners and dating partners.

Often invisible to those on the outside, coercive control is a pattern of violence, intimidation, isolation and manipulation that destroys a victim’s autonomy, self-esteem and sense of safety.

As a society, we should be concerned about the proposed law’s narrow scope because coercive control is a devastating tactic used by abusive adult children, who are the most common perpetrators of elder mistreatment. These abusers would escape prosecution under the new provision, as would all other perpetrators who are not intimate partners. Link to full article here.