Ep. 21. Coercive control: Seeing a solicitor (with Rebecca McLeod)

Join lawyer Rebecca McLeod and psychologist Aspasia Karageorge to learn about coercive control in intimate partner relationships. This episode explains what coercive control means, as well as painting a picture of what you can expect if you go to see a solicitor in response to experiencing coercive control in your domestic relationship. What are your rights, what can you expect the process to be like, how does separation or divorce factor into all of this, and what other supports are important to consider?

Aspasia and Rebecca discuss the overlap between law and psychology when addressing coercive control, the challenges of identifying and supporting people, and we offer practical information for anyone in that situation (for that reason, this episode is a little longer than normal!)

About our guest: Rebecca McLeod is the Practice Leader (Northern Beaches) at Watts McCray lawyers. She was admitted as a solicitor in 2008 and has practiced almost exclusively in Family Law since 2012. You can find Rebecca and other compassionate family law solicitors who can help with matters of coercive control at Watts McCray Lawyers: www.wattsmccray.com.au

The legal context: Based on the Crimes Legislation Amendment (Coercive Control) Act 2022, coercive control is a criminal offence in NSW from 1 July 2024. This is when a person uses abusive behaviours towards a current or former intimate partner with the intention to coerce or control them. The criminal offence captures repeated patterns of physical or non-physical abuse used to hurt, scare, intimidate, threaten or control someone.

A reminder that free 24-hour support is available for domestic violence or abuse of any kind in Australia on the 1800 RESPECT phoneline: 1800 737 732. Or call your country’s police phone number for support.

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Want to make an appointment with Aspasia or one of the clinical psychologists at Sydney City Psychology? Get in touch with us today: (02) 9235 3127 or email info@sydneycitypsychology.com.au

This episode was recorded in May 2025 by Aspasia Karageorge and Rebecca McLeod in Sydney, Australia.