Dramatic rise of coercive control within Yorkshire families reported to police

Reports of coercive control within families across Yorkshire has risen dramatically, latest figures show.
There has been a 105 per cent rise in the number of coercive control reports within families reported to police across Yorkshire.There has been a 105 per cent rise in the number of coercive control reports within families reported to police across Yorkshire.
There has been a 105 per cent rise in the number of coercive control reports within families reported to police across Yorkshire.

Collectively, police forces across Yorkshire have reported a 105 per cent increase of coercive control reports in just one year.

Figures show there were 962 arrests made by police in East, West and South Yorkshire during 2018. Figures for North Yorkshire are not currently available.

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This number is compared to 467 arrests the previous year - a rise of 105 per cent.

The coercive control law, which was introduced in 2015 and carries a maximum prison sentence of five years, was brought in to include such behaviours which do not amount to physical violence, but still cause someone to fear violence will be used against them, or cause serious alarm or distress which has a substantial effect on their daily life.

Abuse can include a pattern of threats, humiliation and intimidation, or behaviour such as stopping a partner socialising, controlling their social media accounts, surveillance through apps or dictating what they wear.

Police in West Yorkshire arrested 511 people in 2018 for the same offence, compared to 299 the previous year, and 178 in 2016.

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Of the 511 arrests, 47 people were charged with the offence.

Graham O'Shea, from Halifax, was the first West Yorkshire man to be jailed for controlling and coercive behaviour. He was sentenced to four years in prison back in November 2016.

His vicitm told how O'Shea took her bank cards, giving her an allowance of £10 per week and also refused to let her wash herself or let her visit her family. He escorted her to and from the bus stop when she went to work.

Horrifically, he instructed the woman to learn the game of chess, before selecting a piece and telling her that if she was the last one left on the board she would be leaving in a black box.

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In South Yorkshire, 323 arrests were made by officers in 2018, compared to 111 in 2017, and 51 in 2016.

Sheffield man Mohammed Anwaar was the first South Yorkshire man to be jailed for the offence when he pleaded guilty to controlling or coercive behaviour in May 2016.

He was sent to prison for 12 months.

Anwaar told his victim who she could see, what she was allowed to wear and what not to eat. He forced her to use a treadmill every day, showing her pictures of other women’s bodies and telling her she did not look as good as they did.

There were 138 arrests made by Humberside Police for controlling or coercive control in an intimate or family relationship in 2018, compared to 57 the previous year.

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Terence Maguire, of Goole, was sentenced to four years in prison back in July, last year, for an appalling history of domestic abuse.

Humberside Police also successfully applied to the court for a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) for when Maguire leaves prison. For the next 15 years he must tell police the name of any new partner and also the details of any addresses he lives at, to help police prevent any other women falling victim to his abuse.

Police are encouraging victims of domestic abuse to come forward.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "Domestic abuse is an offence which can have severe emotional and physical effects on its victims and we want those suffering or at risk of suffering to know that safeguarding professionals are better equipped than ever to provide help, advice, support and that officers will make every effort to prosecute those responsible. 

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"Some victims suffer controlling and coercive behaviour for a long time with their partners behaviour gradually getting worse and eventually ending in violence. We have specially trained officers working across the Force in our specialist safeguarding units who take all reports seriously, deal with them sensitively and do everything possible to safeguard those who are vulnerable."