Hannah’s Law: Coercive Control laws Queensland

Coercive control hannahs law queensland

Queensland’s coercive control law “Hannah’s Law” is now in effect across Queensland

This means that coercive control is now a standalone offence in Queensland. It marks a major reform in how domestic and family violence is treated under the law. Queensland is the second State following New South Wales to make coercive control a crime.

“Hannah’s Law”, officially known as the Criminal Law (Coercive Control and Affirmative Consent) and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2024, came into effect in Queensland on May 26, 2025. This crime carries with it a maximum penalty of 14 years imprisonment.

Why “Hannah’s Law”?

This law is named in memory of Hannah Clarke and her three children Aaliyah, 6, Laianah, 4 and Trey, 3. Hannah and her three children were tragically killed by their father, Rowan Baxter in Brisbane in 2020. Hannah’s Law seeks to prevent similar tragedies by addressing long-term patterns of abuse, not just physical violence.

First arrest – Hannah’s Law in Queensland in relation to Coercive Control

A Gladstone man was charged with coercive control along with 8 other serious domestic violence offences. The man was remanded in custody and was due to appear in the Gladstone’s Magistrates Court on 29 July 2025.

The statistics on victims of coercive control for the months of May to June 2025

The Queensland Reported victims number for the month of May 2025 was for 6 adult females and 2 adult males. For the month of June 2025, there was 31 female victims and 2 adult male victims. There were also 3 juvenile female victims.

The Queensland victims number for the month of May reports there to be 8 victims of coercive control and for the month of June, reports to be 36 victims of coercive control.

What is Coercive Control?

Coercive control is the undercurrent of domestic violence. It refers to a pattern of abusive behaviour designed to dominate, take advantage, control, threaten and intimidate another person. The perpetrator who is coercive controlling will often consistently manipulate the victim psychologically and may restrict the victim’s freedom. The perpetrator may use surveillance, isolate the victim from friends or family or control their finances and control their daily activities.

The father of Hannah Clark said that the red flags of coercive control included “total control” and “isolation”.

Through psychological manipulation, the perpetrator effectively sows the seeds of doubt and confusion in the victims mind. This often results in the victim’s sense of identity, safety and reality being dismantled. It can also leave a victim feeling ‘crazy’ and have a negative impact on the victim’s self-esteem, physical and mental health. Coercive control does not leave visible scars, and as Annabell Daniel (he CEO of Women’s Community Shelters in NSW)

“It is bad because living in it is is described by victim survivors as a form of intimate terrorism or living in torture” .

The strong link between Coercive control and intimate partner homicide

A history of coercive control in a relationship is a known precursor for intimate partner homicide.

Who Does the Law Apply To?

The law recognises coercive control as behaviour that occurs over time. It targets ongoing patterns rather than individual incidents.

The new law applies to:

Current and former intimate partners;
Family members; and
Informal carers (unpaid)

The Queensland coercive laws go a step further than the New South Wales laws as it includes informal carers.

It ensures that people in many types of relationships are protected under Queensland law.

The challenges with the enforcement of the law

One of the key challenges under Hannah’s Law will be ensuring that coercive control can be properly identified and evidenced. Unlike single acts of violence, coercive control is a pattern of behaviours—often subtle and sustained over time.

Individually, these acts may seem minor. But over time, they can cause serious psychological harm and loss of autonomy. Recognising and proving this pattern of abuse will require a shift in how domestic violence is understood and investigated.

A Call for Broader Reform

While the introduction of coercive control laws is a significant step, legislation alone is not enough. Laws are important and symbolic—but they are not a complete solution.

To truly reduce domestic and family violence, Queensland must also invest in:

Frontline support services
Safe and accessible housing
Early intervention programs
Community education and awareness
Behaviour change programs for those who use coercive control.

Addressing the root causes of abuse, including generational trauma and power imbalances, requires a whole-of-community response.

A Milestone, Not the End

The criminalisation of coercive control is an important milestone in Queensland’s response to domestic and family violence. But real change will depend on how the law is applied, how victims are supported, and how society addresses the conditions that allow abuse to continue.

The challenge will lie in the correct policing of coercive control and being able to produce evidence of these behaviours. Coercive control is not one event, but a multidue of behaviours, often subtle that can occur over a period of time. However those acts over time, can have a devastating effect.

What led to the Coercive Control Laws being Implemented?

The lead up to the coercive control (Hannah’s Law) in Queensland

According to QPS they are now working in a collaborative manner with the Queensland Government to change the way they respond to domestic and family violence in Queensland.

In relation the QPS’s response to domestic and family violence (including structural, systemic, disciplinary and cultural issues), there were 78 recommendations of reform in the QPS from the report “a Call for Change” which was led by the Independent Commision of Inquiry. The government accepted all 78 recommendations in principal. The report”Hear her voice 1″ addressed the issue of coercive control and domestic violence and made 89 recommendations for broad systematic reform. The government has funded $363 million towards the implementation of the 89 recommendations,. The second “Hear her voice” report made 188 recommendations for the government for the improvement of girls and women’s experiences in the criminal justice system as victim-survivors. The government supported 103 of the recommendations and committed to a $225 million funding package.

In addition, the Mazerolle Review, led by Professor Lorraine Mazerolle and delivered on 12 July 2022, examined how police-related deaths and domestic and family violence (DFV) deaths are investigated in Queensland. The review was conducted alongside two other major inquiries—the Commission of Inquiry into the Crime and Corruption Commission and the Independent Commission into Queensland Police responses to DFV—which had overlapping terms of reference and broader powers. The final report made 12 recommendations aimed at improving investigative processes: seven focused on deaths in police custody and five on DFV deaths involving prior police contact.

Who to call if you are a victim of coercive control

If you are a victim of coercive control please contact:

CallTriple Zero (000)and ask for Police if you are in a dangerous or life-threatening situation.
You can also call DV Connect on 1800 811 811 or 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)

Contact us for legal support on the Northside of Brisbane at Nundah

To contact us in relation to legal advice for your family law matter, please contact us here,

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