- Conference
- 2026 National Women's Conference
- Date
- 16 October 2025
- Decision
- Carried
This conference fully recognises that the increasing numbers of cases of coercive and controlling behaviour is a national shame. We as a movement need to call out this behaviour and work to engage all our women members help take steps to eradicate this abuse.
It is so desperately sad that for some of our women members a controlling partner blights their daily lives. In Scotland, The Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 has allowed for prosecutors to specifically tackle behaviour which is deemed to be controlling, domineering, and demeaning by way of criminal charges. This is a widening of criminal prosecutions to include control of what clothing or make up worn, monitoring, and controlling access to friends or family or social media and financial control. Whilst this legislation is very welcome it is infuriating that these behaviours continue to dominate so many lives. We need to expose and re educate to eliminate these types of behaviour for good. With the rise in the number of reported cases we need to step up action to end coercive and controlling behaviour.
The changes to work patterns since the Pandemic with much more home working can be of benefit to many women members but for those where the home is not a safe place the impact is devastating. We need to do all we can to help. Our access into workplaces means that we have the opportunity to raise the profile on these unacceptable and unlawful behaviours.
Conference calls upon the Women’s Committee to:
1)Work with Branches, Regions, and Self Organised Groups to highlight the dangers of Coercive and Controlling Behaviour.
2. To produce guidance that can help to signpost help and support for members both at home and in the workplace. Either by way of a published hard copy document or electronic copy.
