PWDA recommends expansion of Coercive Control Laws in NSW to cover people with disability’s experiences
The Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) is reviewing the NSW coercive control law. As the law is still new, they invited feedback to help build an understanding of the law’s early impact and guide how it continues to evolve over time.
DCJ included a discussion paper and summary paper to support the review.
When the Bill was drafted, a decision was made to limit its application to current and former intimate partners. The current review provides a crucial opportunity to consider whether the offence should be extended to other relationships.
Our submission focuses on consultation question 5 (scope of relationships) and calls on the NSW Government to extend the coercive control offence to disability carers and support workers, paid or unpaid.
PWDA position on Coercive Control Laws in NSW
People with disability can experience coercive control by disability support workers, carers and others.
However, the current NSW coercive control laws are confined to former or current intimate partners, which does not reflect the risk present in many people with disability’s lives.
The law must be expanded to cover disability support workers and carers to ensure that people with disability’s experiences of coercive control are captured.
This submission has been endorsed by:
- National Mental Health Consumer Alliance
- Physical Disability Australia
- Being – Mental Health Consumers
- Muscular Dystrophy NSW
- Family Advocacy
- Western Sydney Community Forum
