Jocelyn Ward successfully defends her MA thesis

Congratulations to Jocelyn Ward on successfully defending her MA thesis, “An Act to amend or an Act to abolish? Exploring the benefits and risks of creating a criminal offence of coercive control in Canada”.

Abstract

This thesis draws on the theoretical framework of Mackenzie, Rogers, and Dodds (2014) to examine whether criminalizing coercive control in Canada will reduce victim-survivors’ exposure to harm or increase their vulnerability. Using a qualitative research design, data was collected through semi-structured interviews with criminal defence lawyers and a retired judge, alongside publicly available transcripts from legal experts discussing Bill C-332 during the Committee Stage. Results from an applied thematic analysis revealed that although participants identified some potential benefits to creating a criminal offence of coercive control, they also raised significant concerns about its effectiveness in protecting victim-survivors and highlighted risks that could increase harm. Many concluded that Bill C-332, as passed by the House of Commons, should not be implemented. These findings suggest that addressing coercive control requires a broader response beyond criminalization, prioritizing extra-legal measures such as community-led prevention, technological safety, and economic autonomy to provide lasting protections for victim-survivors.