The House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women has tabled its report, Coercive Control in Canada, marking a significant step forward in recognizing coercive control as a serious form of violence.  The report explores how coercive control impacts women and families, and offers 16 recommendations and three observations to strengthen Canada’s legal, policy, and support frameworks. Sagesse experts Andrea Silverstone and Carrie McManus contributed to the report through their testimony before the committee and written brief.

• You can read the full report here: Coercive Control in Canada – Standing Committee Report.
• Read Sagesse’s submission here. 

Background: Why This Matters

Coercive control is a pattern of behaviours used to control another person and remove their personal agency. It is often invisible, yet deeply harmful, and is recognized internationally as a key risk factor for homicide in intimate partner relationships.

For years, Sagesse has advocated for systemic change to address coercive control in Canada. In our submission to the Committee, we called for:

• Criminalization of coercive control, modeled on international best practices.
• Mandatory training for police, judges, and justice professionals.
• Public education campaigns to shift societal understanding.
• Integrated, wraparound supports for survivors.
• Evidence-based policy development, including data collection and research.

How the Report Reflects Our Recommendations

The Committee’s report strongly aligns with these priorities:

• Criminalization with safeguards – Recommendation 7 supports efforts to criminalize coercive control, paired with training for police and justice professionals before implementation, echoing our call for an organized and  informed approach.
• Training and education – Recommendations 6 and 7 emphasize educational materials and justice sector training, ensuring professionals can identify and respond to coercive control effectively.
• Public awareness – Recommendation 8 calls for national campaigns targeting diverse communities, reinforcing our belief that prevention starts with awareness.
• Integrated supports for survivors – Recommendations 11–15 focus on funding for emergency housing, legal aid, mental health services, and culturally sensitive, trauma-informed approaches—critical elements we highlighted.
• Data and research – Recommendation 16 commits to collecting disaggregated data and funding research, supporting evidence-based strategies to address systemic inequities.

While the report does not include our proposed Coercive Control and Abuse Commissioner, its emphasis on coordination and accountability is a positive step toward systemic change.

What’s Next?

This report is a milestone, but implementation will be key. Criminalization alone is not enough: training, education and survivor supports must come alongside it. At Sagesse, we will continue working with partners and policymakers to ensure these recommendations translate into meaningful action.