SACRAMENTO, CA – The Senate Judiciary Committee today unanimously approved a bill by Sen. Susan Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) that would expand protections for domestic violence survivors by allowing coercive control to be used as psychological harm in domestic violence proceedings. 

Senate Bill 1141 would add “coercive control” to the Family Code. Examples of coercive control include: Isolating the victim from friends, relatives, or other support; depriving the victim of basic necessities; controlling the victim’s communications, daily behavior, finances, economic resources, and many other behaviors that cause severe emotional distress. 

“Current domestic violence laws do not reflect how domestic violence happens in reality.  It can be physical violence, but it can also involve a pattern of ongoing harmful behavior in which an abuser dominates every aspect of a victim’s life. I personally understand coercive control and the paralyzing effect it has on a victim. Unfortunately, the pandemic has highlighted this issue because isolation is an ideal situation for an abuser. Now is the time to strengthen our laws for survivors and introduce this definition of coercive control,” Sen. Rubio said.

“I want to thank Senator Rubio for bringing such an important bill forward. Psychological abuse is just as damaging as a broken bone or punch in the face, especially when there are no laws to protect victims when the damage cannot be seen and photographed," said Ana Estevez, mother of "Piqui" and a domestic violence advocate.

The bill is sponsored by the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, and supporters include: Crime Victims United of California, Elizabeth House, FreeFrom, Pathways for Victims of Domestic Violence, Peace Over Violence, StrengthUnited, and the YWCA of San Gabriel Valley.

The bill passed unanimously with 8-0 vote and will now head to Senate Appropriations Committee.