Broaden coercive-control definition

AI summary

Petitioners ask the federal coercive-control definition be broadened beyond intimate partners to include persons in positions of trust or care over older, dependent or disabled adults, and to cover isolation, threats and financial exploitation.

AI summaries describe petitioners’ requests and claims. Consult the official record for the full text.

Official petition

Petition to the House of Commons in Parliament assembled Coercive control is a pattern of behaviour used to control, isolate, threaten, or exploit another person; Federal discussions about coercive control have mainly focused on intimate partner violence; The current language is too limiting because it does not fully reflect how coercive control can be used by people in positions of trust or care, especially against older adults and dependent persons; Coercive control can also happen in relationships where one person has trust, authority, care, financial control, or decision-making power over another person; This can include abuse of older adults, dependent adults, and people with disabilities by caregivers, adult children, attorneys under a power of attorney, guardians, trustees, substitute decision-makers, or others in positions of trust; Older adults can be especially vulnerable when another person controls their money, housing, medication, transportation, phone, visitors, appointments, food, or access to care; and If the law only recognizes coercive control in intimate partner relationships, people harmed by coercive control in other relationships of trust may be left without proper protection. We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to: 1. Broaden the current or proposed federal coercive control language so it is not limited to intimate partner relationships; 2. Include coercive control by a person in a position of trust, authority, care, dependency, financial control, or decision-making power; 3. Clearly recognize coercive control against older adults, dependent adults, and people with disabilities; and 4. Include patterns such as isolation, threats, intimidation, financial exploitation, withholding care, restricting communication, controlling medication or health care, blocking visitors, limiting movement, or misusing legal authority. 1. Broaden the current or proposed federal coercive control language so it is not limited to intimate partner relationships; 2. Include coercive control by a person in a position of trust, authority, care, dependency, financial control, or decision-making power; 3. Clearly recognize coercive control against older adults, dependent adults, and people with disabilities; and 4. Include patterns such as isolation, threats, intimidation, financial exploitation, withholding care, restricting communication, controlling medication or health care, blocking visitors, limiting movement, or misusing legal authority.

Government response

No government response is available yet.