On the 29 December 2015, the offence of controlling or coercive behaviour (CCB) came into force through Section 76 of the Serious Crime Act 2015. The stated aim of this new offence was to “close a gap in the law around patterns of coercive and controlling behaviour during a relationship between intimate partners, former partners who still live together, or family members” (Home Office, 2015a). The Home Office has undertaken a rapid review of the CCB offence, to assess its effectiveness and whether any changes to the legislation, or any wider policy interventions, are needed.

The review involved an assessment of the available quantitative data from the criminal justice system (CJS) and a review of the academic literature, both carried out by analysts in the Home Office. Separately, policy officials undertook a series of consultations with a targeted group of stakeholders to get views on the operational application and practicalities around the CCB offence.