Definition of Domestic Violence/Abuse for Civil Protection Orders
This matrix contains state statutes with the definition of domestic violence/abuse for obtaining a domestic violence civil protection order.
Coercive Control Codification Matrix
Updated through the 2023 state legislative sessions, this document is a compilation of state statutes that incorporate “coercive control” language in their codes.
“Coercive control,” while representing a familiar phenomenon in domestic violence cases, is a newer term of art that many states are incorporating into their criminal, family, and protection order statutes.
“Coercive control” represents ongoing, malicious, controlling behavior by an intimate partner that falls short of physical and sexual violence. Different states use slightly varying definitions of “coercive control,” and some states use “coercive” or “control” independently to indicate similar phenomena.
This compilation may contain dated information, may not be all-inclusive, and is intended for educational and research purposes only. State statutes are constantly changing. Please independently verify the information found in this document.