Make coercive control in under-16s relationships a criminal offence

Make coercive control in under-16s relationships a criminal offence — 145 signatures. Status: open.

Petition background

Amend the Serious Crime Act 2015 so controlling or coercive behaviour in intimate relationships between under-16s is a criminal offence. Current law only applies where both parties are 16 or over, which can leave younger victims without protection.

Additional details

Children under 16 can experience serious patterns of control, manipulation and abuse within relationships, yet current law does not allow this to be prosecuted as coercive control. We believe this creates a gap where harmful behaviour is recognised but not chargeable. Extending the law could ensure younger victims are protected and abusive behaviour in teenage relationships is properly addressed.

View this petition on the official UK Parliament website

Other UK Parliament petitions

Make a public animal abuser register & automatically ban ownership — 245,206 signatures
Hold a referendum to bring the water industry into public ownership — 204,832 signatures
Legislate to ban FPNs and prosecutions related to school attendance — 132,465 signatures
Hold a UK-wide briefing on climate and nature risks — 121,322 signatures
Change surrogacy law to recognise intended parents from birth — 113,110 signatures
Support the Ceramics Industry and protect British manufacturing jobs and skills — 110,953 signatures
Remove sentence reductions for guilty pleas in controlling and coercive cases — 105,434 signatures
Raise the personal tax allowance to £18,000 — 68,799 signatures

Browse UK petitions

UK Petition Tracker home