l'emprise et contrôle coercitif

Greg doesn't understand why I am accusing him of domestic abuse. But this is part and parcel of 2 key things: 

1) Greg's complete disassociation from the consequences of his actions and behaviours;

2) not understanding what domestic abuse is;

French domestic abuse law, talks about "l'emprise" and "controle coercitif" - that translates to "grip" and "coercive control".

Controle Coercitif:

"Il s’agit d’un acte délibéré de comportements de contrôle, de contrainte ou de menace dans le but de vous rendre dépendante, subordonnée et/ou de vous priver de votre liberté d’action.

La nature de ces comportements peut être psychologique, verbale, économique, administrative, matérielle, parentale, physique ou encore sexuelle."

[https://www.womenforwomenfrance.org/fr/nos-ressources/violences-conjugales/comprendre-les-violences/comprendre-les-violences-conjugales]

Coercive control:

"Is an intentional act of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour deliberately carried out with the aim of making you dependent, subordinate and/or depriving you of your freedom of action.

The nature of these behaviours can be psychological, verbal, financial, administrative, material, physical or sexual."

[https://www.womenforwomenfrance.org/en/our-resources/domestic-abuse/understand-abuse/understanding-domestic-abuse] 

Difference between coercive control, psychological abuse and l'emprise:

Perpetrators of coercive control often isolate their victim from sources of support, exploit their resources, hinder their ability to acquire new resources, regulate their victim’s everyday lives, and deprive them of the means needed for independence, resistance, and escape.

Since July 2010, psychological violence within a couple that “degrade[s] one's quality of life and cause[s] a change in one's physical or mental state of health” is a criminal offence in France.⁽³⁾ Those found guilty face up to five years in jail and a fine of €75,000.⁽⁴⁾ Following the Grenelle des violences conjugales in 2019, the French Government announced a number of measures it would take to combat domestic violence.⁽⁵⁾ The notion of “emprise” was subsequently included in the law n° 2020-936 dated 30 July 2020, which aims at protecting victims of domestic violence.⁽⁶⁾

Emprise on the other hand can be defined as what the victim experiences and is only one aspect of coercive control.⁽⁸⁾

^{[https://www.womenforwomenfrance.org/en/about-us/news/coercive-control-a-vital-concept-in-domestic-abuse]}

[3] Code pénal, Art. 222-33-2-1, available from https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/codes/article_lc/LEGIARTI000022469910/2010-07-11.Translated from French : “Le fait de harceler son conjoint, son partenaire lié par un pacte civil de solidarité ou son concubin par des agissements répétés ayant pour objet ou pour effet une dégradation de ses conditions de vie se traduisant par une altération de sa santé physique ou mentale est puni de…”. France was the first country to criminalise psychological abuse.

[4] Ibid.

[5] The Grenelle des violences conjugales in 2019 was a set of round tables organised by the French Government between September 3 and November 25, 2019. Its objective was to bring together people concerned by issues related to domestic violence, in order to determine the measures to be taken to combat them.

[6] Loi n° 2020-936 du 30 juillet 2020 visant à protéger les victimes de violences conjugales, available from https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000042176652.

[8] Ibid.