• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Bedfordshire
  • Milton Keynes
  • Northamptonshire
  • Awards
  • Knowledge Hub
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
    • Sustainability
    • The Podcast
    • ATB TV
All Things Business

All Things Business

First For Local UK Business News

  • Education
  • Professional Services
    • Legal
    • Finance
    • Recruitment & HR
    • Creative Marketing
  • Property
  • Environment
    • Wellbeing
  • Industry
    • Industry
    • Manufacturing
    • Motors
    • Logistics
    • Technology
  • Events
    • Events
    • Food & Drink
    • Sport
  • News

Insight into coercive and controlling behaviour

Legal, News | April 1, 2022

Bastian Lloyd Morris CCB

Coercive and controlling behaviour (CCB) is an act, or a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and/or intimidation, or other form of abuse, that is used by abusers to harm, punish, or frighten their victims.  

In recent years there has been a proliferation of campaigns, explanatory documents, seminars and other types of training designed to raise awareness about this terrible form of abuse. The main focus has been on the fact that CCB does not have to involve an actual assault; intimidation is often all that is needed. That is why CCB is often described as an extreme form of psychological and emotional abuse, which leaves the victim feeling desperate, isolated and dehumanised. Unfortunately, this form of abuse is hidden in plain sight. Many victims will say ‘I didn’t know I was being abused, it was just normal’.

2015 was a landmark year for the criminal courts as it became an offence to coercively control a victim, in the context of an intimate or family relationship. The perpetrator could face a prison sentence of up to five years. However, following a recent statistical review by the Home Office, it was noted that in 2019 only just over 1,100 people had been prosecuted for the offence. We must question why the prosecution rate is so low.  Are the victims too frightened to come forward? Are there gaps in police procedure and processes? Do CPS lawyers have ‘bigger fish to fry’?

The review states ‘there is still likely to be significant room for improvement in understanding identifying and evidencing CCB’.  

In particular, there is a lack of understanding and insight into the ‘psychology’ of CCB. This is perhaps understandable, as often CCB is deployed using perfectly innocuous means such as ‘a look’, a particular query or phrase, or even a certain hand gesture. In one case, a victim knew to ‘keep her mouth shut’ if ever her abuser handed her the newspaper, and indicated the ‘silent treatment’. Arguably, police officers are not equipped to respond effectively to, or conduct in-depth investigations into this type of abuse. 

There is, of course, an urgent need for bespoke training, such as the programmes offered by SafeLives, to enable professionals, including police officers, to gain a deeper understanding into this form of abuse, so that they can identify and respond more effectively and efficiently to it. In that way, at least, we may gain some confidence that the police are doing the best they can to protect vulnerable victims of CCB.

For more information on this topic, contact Sarah Adebowale at Bastian Lloyd Morris on 01908 546580 or visit their website here

Milton Keynes

Related stories

  • MK Gateway Milton Keynes
    May 10, 2022

    Taking centre stage at real estate forum

    On 17-19 May, the Socius team will join over 4,000 attendees in Leeds for the annual UKREiiF event, which connects people, places…
  • Hospital invests in campaign to attract healthcare talent Milton Keynes
    May 9, 2022

    Hospital invests in campaign to attract healthcare talent

    Milton Keynes University Hospital (MKUH) is set to kickstart an ambitious new project to attract the best talent healthcare has to offer…
  • MKBAA Milton Keynes
    May 6, 2022

    All set to go again following huge success of awards

    Following the huge success of MKBAA 2022, which saw a packed Stadium MK ballroom celebrate the outstanding achievements of a wide variety…

Primary Sidebar

Stay up to date on All Things Business

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to receive the latest business news.

Online Edition

Northamptonshire edition, click here
Milton Keynes edition, click here
Bedfordshire edition, click here

Most Read

  • MHA MacIntyre Hudson New Partners join MHA MacIntyre Hudson central region team
  • beyond theory Look after your people and they will take care of your business
  • Howes Percival How to win friends and influence customers
  • actor, comedian and TV presenter, Paddy McGuinness. Comedy star announced as awards presenter
  • The Falcon Hotel takes flight in a whole new direction

Footer

REGIONS

Northamptonshire
Milton Keynes
Bedfordshire
 

COMPANY

About Us
Contact
Awards
Podcast
Knowledge Hub
Sustainability
Request A Copy

Northamptonshire Office

1 Queensbridge, Northampton
NN4 7BF
Tel: 01604 267677

Milton Keynes and Bedfordshire Office

The Pinnacle, 170 Midsummer Boulevard, Milton Keynes,
MK9 1BP
Tel: 01908 030688

London Office

25 Bedford Square
London
WC1B 3HH
Tel: 0208 1760176

Follow us on

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

All Things Business is a publication produced by All Things Management Ltd. Registered in England No. 9590677


Privacy Policy