In the lead-up to National Domestic and Family Violence Remembrance Day, the Western Australian Government has launched the next phase of its hard-hitting campaigns tackling one of the most dangerous yet often invisible forms of family violence: coercive control.
The expanded campaigns — ‘Coercion Hurts’ and ‘A Story That’s Not Ours’ — are designed to help Western Australians recognise the warning signs of coercive control, a patterned and insidious form of abuse that can be difficult to detect but causes deep, lasting harm.
Developed with guidance from victim-survivors, Aboriginal communities, and family violence advocates, the campaigns use live-action and animation to depict real-life scenarios of coercive control — including isolating a partner from loved ones, controlling their finances, constantly monitoring their movements, and manipulating their sense of reality.
These types of behaviours are now legally recognised in WA as part of the cumulative pattern of family violence. In 2023, the WA Government amended the Restraining Orders Act 1997 to explicitly include coercive control in the legal definition of family violence.
Raising Awareness, Encouraging Action
The response to the campaigns so far has been significant. Since the initial launch:
- ‘Coercion Hurts’ campaign videos have been viewed more than 7.85 million times across social media;
- ‘A Story That’s Not Ours’, which includes videos in four Aboriginal languages, reached more than 2 million views in just three months;
- The online Coercive Control and Family and Domestic Violence hub has attracted nearly 178,000 visits from people seeking information, support, and resources.
Importantly, the campaign has led to a noticeable increase in calls to WA’s domestic violence helplines — a sign that more people are recognising the behaviour and reaching out for help.
The online hub — accessible via wa.gov.au/coercivecontrol and wa.gov.au/familyviolence — provides a wide range of resources for victim-survivors, perpetrators seeking change, and concerned friends and family. Materials include a culturally safe portal for Aboriginal users, posters and videos in 36 languages, infographics, and easy-read guides for low-literacy audiences.
A Community-Wide Conversation
WA Premier Roger Cook emphasised the importance of continued education and community engagement.
“The WA Government’s family and domestic violence campaigns are a crucial part of educating the community about coercive control and the impact it has on a victim-survivor, and sending the message that it is a form of family and domestic violence,” he said. “We’re always looking at ways to better protect victim-survivors of family domestic violence and the community.”
Minister for the Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence, Jessica Stojkovski, added that while the term “coercive control” is still new to many, it’s essential that Western Australians understand its seriousness.
“Coercive control is an insidious form of family and domestic violence that takes away a person’s freedom and independence,” she said. “[It] can seriously affect their safety, mental and physical health, employment, relationships, financial security and sense of autonomy – and no one should experience that.”
A Broader Commitment
Since 2017, the WA Government has invested more than $500 million into initiatives to address family and domestic violence. The current campaigns are part of a broader strategy outlined in the Family and Domestic Violence System Reform Plan 2024–2029, which aims to strengthen prevention and response systems across the state.
The second phase of the campaigns will appear across TV, radio, print, digital, social media and outdoor placements to ensure it reaches as many Western Australians as possible.
If you or someone you know is experiencing family or domestic violence, support is available. You can contact the Women’s Domestic Violence Helpline on 1800 007 339 or the Men’s Domestic Violence Helpline on 1800 000 599.
