Coercive control

Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 01/FOI/25/009059/W

Version Date: 02/12/2025

The Performance & Analysis Department and the Learning & Development Department have provided the following information:

To obtain the information for the first two questions, the Performance & Analysis Department undertook the following searches:

Data Source                                                            

Crimes recorded on crime information system - NICHE                                                                                                                                                                      

Data Processing:                                                              

Qliksense "Occurrence - People Links (all)", filtered on:                                             

Crime Only? "Yes";                                                             

Date Crimed: 29 December 2015 to 1 October 2025                                                   

HO Code "008/67".                                                             

Chart Builder populated and data exported.                                                                   

Data Limitations:                                                               

• The outcome and arrest are linked to the occurrence but may not be for the specific offence of Controlling and Coercive behaviour. I have presented the data this way because our Detainee Management report (arrest data) is only available from April 2018 onwards.                                                                 

I would like to request the following information for the period 29th December 2015 to 1 October 2025. Please break those figures down by calendar year (or partial calendar year where applicable).

The number of arrests for coercive control.

The number of charges for coercive control.

Please provide the following information outlining the current situation for your force:

What training do you provide to officers regarding domestic abuse and coercive control (as defined in the Serious Crime Act 2015)?

Training is provided on domestic abuse and coercive control as part of the initial training for officers and for officers completing Professionalising Investigations Programme (PIP) 1 and PIP2.

Training is entitled: Homicide Timeline training, Domestic Abuse (DA) Vulnerability Training, DA Matters training, and Police Perpetrated Domestic Abuse training (PPDA).

Please provide details of the nature of this training, including:

Whether it is mandatory or optional.

It’s a mix of mandatory and optional depending on the officers role and responsibilities.

Is it part of initial training when officers join the force?

Yes, this training is part of the initial training. This topic is covered in detail during a classroom delivery. The mandatory, intial training is the Domestic Abuse (DA) Vulnerability Training and DA Matters training which includes coercive control. The remainder courses are refreshers.

The training session includes the specific wording of the 2015 act, along with examples of how it can be committed.

Video clips are included as part of the lesson. These contain accounts from victims of coercive and controlling abuse and offer some real-life examples for context. (These clips are readily available on YouTube):

• “Walking on eggshells”
• “CPS Ruth Interview Pt 1”
• “CPS Ruth Interview Pt 2”

Student officers also complete mandatory online modules in relation to domestic abuse.

How frequently must they complete refreshers courses?

Refresher sessions are completed approximately every two years.

The number of your officers trained to handle domestic abuse incidents - including coercive control. 
The number of your officers who have not completed this training.

The below data is as of 5^th November 2025. Please note, Devon and Cornwall are currently updating their systems and, as such, the below data may not be completely accurate; figures for those who have not completed this training is also not currently available.

For Homicide Timeline Training:

• 483 DCP officers and staff have completed the Homicide Timeline training.
• 258 DCP officers and staff have registered and started the training but have yet to complete it
• 376 DCP officers and staff have been invited to undertake the training (i.e. allocated a licence) but have not registered

For DA Vulnerability Training:

• 2385 is the target audience
• 1242 Completed (this also includes the stalking and harassment elearning)
• 584 are currently booked on to attend
• 215 Special Constables will complete the training in the new year
• 344 were either off work or have not been booked due to thresholds; thresholds is the term used to describe where an officer does not complete training because patrol, and duties relating to patrol, take priority.

For DA Matters training:

• 258 attendees between March and May 2024

For PPDA training:

• 155 completed.