Call to look to Scotland’s consent laws

Women’s advocates have urged for attorneys-general meeting in Canberra on Friday to consider drawing inspiration from consent laws in Scotland.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus. Picture: AAP

Women’s advocates have urged for attorneys-general meeting in Canberra on Friday to consider drawing inspiration from consent laws in Scotland and ensure legislative changes are accompanied with education campaigns and training for those on the frontline.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus confirmed on Thursday the meeting with his state and Territory counterparts would discuss “national approaches to coercive control, and strengthening criminal justice responses to sexual assault”. Coercive control refers to a pattern of behaviour where a perpetrator cuts off a victim from friends, family and often financial means, and is a common precursor to physical ­violence.

Full Stop CEO Hayley Foster said no single jurisdiction’s approach to coercive control had yet “got it right” and urged for the meeting to look at overseas examples such as Scotland. “Scotland is described as the gold standard for coercive control,” she said.