CACP National Workshop on Coercive Control

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Addressing Coercive Control: Strategies for Law Enforcement and Justice

In cases of intimate partner violence, signs of harm often remain hidden, masked by coercive control that’s nearly impossible to ‘see.’ Without the right tools, understanding and assessing these subtle yet dangerous behaviors is challenging. This workshop will help to equip attendees with the tools needed to recognize the unseen signs and support those who may be victimized by coercive controlling behaviours.

Coercive control is a pervasive pattern of abuse that aims to control, isolate, and dominate an intimate partner, with or without the use of physical violence, and is difficult to assess when viewing intimate partner violence as an incident-specific and episodic event. Other countries (England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Australia) have already criminalized coercive control, and the Canadian landscape is changing to officially acknowledge coercive control as harmful, and criminal, behaviour. Bill C-332, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (coercive control of an intimate partner) passed in the House of Commons in June 2024 and is currently under review in the Senate. This workshop will equip members of the criminal justice system with the knowledge and tools required to more adequately respond, investigate, and intervene when faced with coercive control situations.

Objectives

This workshop offers an opportunity to: 

• Adopt a trauma informed approach
• Deepen understanding of coercive control in intimate partner violence
• Recognize the signs of coercive control
• Assess and effectively respond to situations involving coercive control
• Share best practices

Who should attend: 

• Law Enforcement personnel (Investigators, Front Line, Supervisors, Senior Managers, and Executives)
• Specialized Domestic Violence Units
• Crowns Prosecutors

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