Bill > LD670

This bill modifies an existing Maine state law related to domestic abuse by expanding the definition of compelling or coercive behavior. Specifically, the bill amends Section 4102, Subsection 1, Paragraph C of Title 19-A of the Maine Revised Statutes, which describes actions that constitute domestic abuse. The modification adds the term "coercion" alongside existing language about force, threat of force, and intimidation when describing behaviors that compel a person to either engage in conduct they have a right to abstain from or abstain from conduct they have a right to engage in. This change broadens the legal understanding of domestic abuse to explicitly include coercive control, which can involve psychological, emotional, or manipulative tactics that restrict a person's freedom and autonomy without necessarily involving physical force. By adding "coercion" to the statutory language, the bill recognizes that domestic abuse is not only about physical violence but can also involve more subtle forms of control and manipulation.

Justice

https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?LD=670&snum=132