Criminalising Coercive Control

Challenges for the Implementation of Northern Ireland’s Domestic Abuse Offence

Vanessa Bettinson, Ronagh McQuigg, Vanessa Bettinson, Ronagh McQuigg

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2023
• Print ISBN: 9781032384870
• eBook ISBN: 9781000965254
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Criminal Law
• Index: Social Sciences

Drawing on experiences from other jurisdictions within the UK, Criminalising Coercive Control explores the challenges and potential successes which may be faced in implementing Northern Ireland's new domestic abuse offence.

A specific offence of domestic abuse was introduced in Northern Ireland in March 2021. This represents a crucial development in Northern Ireland's response to domestic abuse. The new legislation has the effect of criminalising coercive and controlling behaviour, thereby bringing Northern Ireland into line with other jurisdictions within the UK, and also with relevant human rights standards in this regard. The book begins with a discussion regarding the offence itself and the underpinning domestic abuse policy in Northern Ireland. Subsequent chapters explore further measures which may be needed to respond effectively to domestic abuse in Northern Ireland, by drawing upon the experiences of other jurisdictions of criminalising coercive control. These reflections are considered through the lenses of policing, prosecutorial practice and frontline domestic abuse working.

Criminalising Coercive Control will be of great interest to students and scholars in a variety of fields, such as criminal law, criminology, social policy, human rights, family law, gender studies and sociology. The book is also accessible beyond academia, including practitioners and those in the voluntary sector who are working in the area of combating domestic abuse.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Series
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• List of Tables
• List of Contributors
• 1 Introduction
• 2 Introducing a Criminal Offence of Domestic Abuse in Northern Ireland: Comparative Insights Into Criminalising Coercive Control
• 3 Understanding and Responding to Coercive Control: Lessons Learned From England and Wales
• 4 The Justice Challenge for Policing Northern Ireland: Training Police Officers in the Law of Control
• 5 Prosecuting Domestic Abuse in Northern Ireland: The Challenges of the Trial Process
• 6 What Might ‘Successful’ Coercive Control Prosecutions Look Like?
• 7 Taking Learnings From Other Jurisdictions on Supporting Victims and Survivors of Coercive Control
• Index