Advocates demand French law recognize coercive control as a form of violence

Advocates contend that many French women endure a daily reality of subtle yet relentless restrictions—messages, financial control, surveillance, and humiliation—that constitute coercive control. They point out that this phenomenon, described as "intimate terrorism," can lead to fatal outcomes even when it does not culminate in femicide or forced suicide. While countries such as the United Kingdom, Belgium, Canada, various U.S. states and Australia have incorporated coercive control into their statutes, the French comprehensive bill currently lacks any reference to it.

The campaign argues that without legal acknowledgment, the system that links different forms of violence remains invisible, hindering prevention and protection. Research cited shows that digital traces, banking records and testimonies can reconstruct patterns of abuse, making the phenomenon provable. The call urges lawmakers to equip professionals with tools to detect and act against coercive control before irreversible damage occurs.