The UK government will unveil a new law this week making coercive control in domestic relationships illegal. The new offence of coercive and controlling behavior in intimate relationships will have a maximum penalty of 5 years imprisonment or a fine. It aims to protect victims from psychological and emotional abuse that stops short of serious physical violence. A government consultation found 85% agreed current law does not sufficiently protect victims and 55% said a new law was needed to address coercive control.