Coercive control laws

From 26 May 2025, coercive control is a criminal offence in Queensland.

It is illegal for an adult to use abusive behaviours towards their current, or former, intimate partner, family member, or informal (unpaid) carer with the intention to control or coerce them.

Coercive control almost always underpins domestic and family violence .

The criminal offence captures patterns of physical and/or non-physical abuse used to hurt, humiliate, isolate, frighten, or threaten a victim-survivor.

The criminal offence carries a maximum penalty of 14 years imprisonment due to the serious nature of the offence and the harm coercive control can cause victim-survivors.

The criminal offence applies to abusive behaviours that occur from the day the law came into effect on 26 May 2025.

While only people over the age of 18-years-old can be charged with the coercive control offence, it is still possible for people under 18-years-old to use abusive behaviours towards their current, or former, intimate partner, family member or informal (unpaid) carer with the intention to control or dominate them. Control in a relationship is never okay and help and support is available.

The offence criminalises conduct of an adult where:

• the person is in a domestic relationship with another person (which encompasses past and present intimate partner relationships, wider family relationships and informal care relationships);
• the person engages in a course of conduct against the other person that consists of domestic violence occurring on more than 1 occasion.
• the person intends the course of conduct to coerce or control the other person; and
• the course of conduct would, in all the circumstances, be reasonably likely to cause the other person harm (any detrimental effect on the person’s physical, emotional, financial, psychological or mental wellbeing, whether temporary or permanent).

From 26 May 2025, Queensland also has a new offence to stop people using domestic and family violence, including coercive control, on behalf of a respondent, also referred to as a ‘perpetrator’ or a ‘person using violence’.

Under this new law, it is illegal for anyone (including friends or family) to intimidate or abuse a victim-survivor named in a domestic violence order (DVO), or police protection order, on the behalf of the respondent (the person using violence).

Those found guilty of this offence could face a maximum penalty of a fine of 120 penalty units or 3 years imprisonment.

Under this new law, it is also illegal to hire third parties, including private investigators, to locate and monitor a victim-survivor named in a DVO or police protection notice.

Private investigators who have a conviction recorded for the new offence will be automatically disqualified from holding a security licence and could face an increased maximum penalty of a fine of 240 penalty units or 5 years imprisonment.

Read more about the Criminal Law (Coercive Control and Affirmative Consent) and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2024.