Massachusetts recently enacted a new law aimed at addressing “coercive control” in relationships. This legislation marks a significant shift in how the state approaches domestic abuse cases. While the law is designed to protect victims from manipulation and control, it also raises important concerns about how seemingly harmless behavior could be interpreted under its provisions. If you are navigating a family law matter or have questions about this new law, it’s essential to understand its implications.
What is Coercive Control?
Coercive control refers to a pattern of behavior used to dominate, isolate, and manipulate someone, often in a romantic or domestic relationship. Unlike physical abuse, coercive control focuses on non-physical tactics such as:
- Patterns of Behavior or Single Acts: The law recognizes that abuse can occur as part of a broader pattern of coercive control or through a single, isolated act that intimidates, harms, or restricts autonomy.
- Harassment and Intimidation: Actions such as relentless texting, stalking, or verbal threats that create fear or a sense of helplessness can be classified as coercive control.
- Isolation Tactics: Deliberately isolating someone from friends, family, or support networks—whether through physical means or emotional manipulation—falls under the scope of coercive control.
- Control of Daily Activities: Regulating or monitoring a person’s daily routines, communications, movements, or social interactions can qualify as coercive behavior. For example, insisting on knowing someone’s location at all times or dictating who they can talk to.
- Financial Control and Exploitation: Withholding money, restricting access to bank accounts, or preventing someone from working are forms of coercive financial control.
- Threats Against Children or Pets: Threatening to harm children, pets, or other loved ones as a way to manipulate or control someone is explicitly included in the definition of abuse.
- Publishing Explicit Material Without Consent: The law incorporates provisions addressing the non-consensual sharing of sexually explicit material, also known as “revenge porn,” as a coercive act.
- Emotional and Psychological Abuse: Broadly defined behaviors that undermine an individual’s sense of self-worth, confidence, or autonomy fall under coercive control. Examples include gaslighting or persistent belittling.
- Use of Legal Systems to Intimidate: Leveraging repeated legal actions—such as excessive lawsuits, filing for frivolous protective orders, or other legal threats—against someone to exert pressure or fear is included under the law.
- Restrictions on Technology: Monitoring or controlling access to personal devices, such as phones or computers, or restricting the use of social media platforms can be considered coercive control.
- Fear-Based Compliance: Any actions that make someone comply with demands out of fear for their physical or emotional safety are covered under the definition of coercive control.
Under the new Massachusetts law, these behaviors could lead to criminal charges, even in the absence of physical violence. The intent is to hold individuals accountable for creating environments of fear and control that harm victims’ mental and emotional well-being.
Potential Risks for Innocent Behavior
While the law is a step forward in protecting victims, it also opens the door to potential misinterpretation. Many actions that might appear normal or harmless in some relationships could be seen as coercive in others. Here are a few examples of behaviors that could raise red flags:
- Frequent Texting: Checking in with a partner multiple times a day might be seen as controlling if the other person perceives it as invasive.
- Budgeting Rules: Setting strict household financial rules, even with good intentions, could be interpreted as financial control if one partner feels restricted.
- Social Preferences: Encouraging a partner to spend less time with certain people might be seen as isolation, depending on the context.
- Arguments: Heated disagreements, if they involve threats or belittling language, could be construed as psychological abuse.
What You Can Do to Protect Yourself
If you are concerned about how your actions might be viewed under this law, consider the following steps:
- Communicate Clearly: Open and honest communication is key. Ensure both parties in a relationship feel heard and respected.
- Seek Consent: When making decisions that affect your partner, involve them in the process to avoid feelings of control or manipulation.
- Document Context: If your intentions are misunderstood, keeping records of your actions and their context could be helpful in defending against any claims.
- Avoid Escalation: If conflicts arise, focus on resolving issues calmly and respectfully.
Lane Law Office can help you with cases involving coercive control
Massachusetts’ new coercive control law represents progress in protecting victims of domestic abuse, but it creates enormous-and concealed-challenges for individuals navigating relationships, particularly during contentious family law cases. While the law aims to address harmful patterns of behavior, it’s vital to recognize how innocent actions could be misunderstood or misrepresented.
If you have questions or concerns about how this law could impact you, reach out to Lane Law Office and Attorney Bill Lane. Help is available to let you understand your rights and navigate the complexities of this new legal landscape.