Coercive Control Bill (Massachusetts)

The Animal Legal Defense Fund supports this bill.

Sponsors: State Reps. Natalie Higgins (D-4th Worcester)Tram Nguyen (D-18th Essex), Richard Haggerty (D-30th Middlesex), Jeffrey Roy (D-10th Norfolk), Meghan Kilcoyne (D-12th Worcester); State Sens. Mike Moore (D-Second Worcester), John Keenan (D-Norfolk and Plymouth), Patrick O’Connor (R-First Plymouth and Norfolk), and John Velis (D-Hampden and Hampshire)

Introduction Date: January 19, 2024

When humans are victims of domestic violence, all too often their animal companions are victimized too. It’s critical that our laws recognize and address this dynamic by protecting both human and animal victims. 

Massachusetts lawmakers are currently considering a bill, An Act to prevent abuse and exploitation (S.2820), that would add “coercive control” to the Commonwealth’s legal definition of abuse. Coercive control is a form of abuse, involving a pattern of behavior or single act by an abuser, meant to threaten, intimidate, harass, isolate, or compel a family or household member. 

Importantly, S.2820 defines coercive control in a way that includes committing, or threatening to commit, cruelty or abuse to an animal connected to the abuser’s family or household member. The bill would also modernize other outdated criminal harassment laws, including allowing survivors to seek harassment prevention orders. 

Effective protective orders are critically important for ensuring the safety of domestic violence victims. To be effective, they must both recognize that abusers commonly use harm or threats against a victim’s animal companion as a tool for control, and prioritize keeping domestic violence survivors and their animals together. S.2820 can help protect human survivors of interpersonal violence, and other victims who are eligible for protection, as well as their companion animals. 

There is a well-established link between violence toward animals and violence toward humans, and all victims — no matter their species — deserve to be protected under our laws.  

​​Why is this legislation important? ​

Numerous studies have documented the connection between animal cruelty and domestic violence. Offenders often use companion animals as tools in their abuse, exploiting the close bonds that victims have with their animals. Abusers may threaten or harm an animal in order to control or psychologically torment the animal’s guardian — and sadly, this form of coercive control is extremely effective. Nearly three-quarters of women with companion animals who enter women’s shelters reported that their abuser had threatened, injured, maimed, or killed family companion animals for revenge or to psychologically control victims. And according to several studies, approximately half of women in domestic violence shelters report that they delayed their escape from their abuser out of fear for the safety of their animal(s). It is imperative that the law assist victims of abuse — both human and animal — in safely fleeing situations of abuse.  

Coalition Support: Animal Rescue League of Boston; Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA); numerous other advocacy groups supporting both human and animal well-being. 

For more information about animal protection legislation in Massachusetts and opportunities to take action for animals, visit aldf.org/massachusetts.