Breaking Barriers: The Role of Law in Controlling Coercive Behavior with Andrea Silverstone

RESOLVing Violence

In this episode of "Resolving Violence," host Arianna Gibson and guest Andrea Silverstone delve into the complexities of identifying and assessing coercive control within clinical practices and the implications of recent legislative efforts in this area. Silverstone debates the effectiveness of Canada's push to criminalize coercive control, contrasting it with existing legislation in the UK and the emerging patterns there. She underscores the challenges with current assessment tools, advocating for more nuanced methods that consider the victim's context and narrative to accurately capture instances of coercive control.

Silverstone also addresses the broader impacts of coercive control legislation in improving the justice system's response to domestic violence cases. She discusses the Canadian legislative progress, where a private member's bill aims to enhance training for justice system personnel and bolster support programs for affected individuals. The UK's experience is reviewed as a preventative measure for escalating violence, reflecting on the initial successes and areas needing improvement.

To conclude, Cummings highlights Silverstone's extensive work through her organization, Sejes, in disrupting patterns of abuse in Alberta, Canada. Silverstone's rich background in psychology, social work, and coercive control interventions enriches the discussion, providing listeners with a deep dive into the necessity of sophisticated tools and legislative backing to effectively handle and mitigate coercive control. The episode encourages ongoing public discourse and legislative advocacy to better support victims and address violence at its roots.

Learn More About Our Guest:

Andrea Silverstone is an influential social worker and the CEO of Sejes, an organization committed to eradicating domestic and sexual violence in Alberta. With a Master’s degree focused on psychology and coercive control and ongoing doctoral work on the same subject, Andrea has led significant initiatives to disrupt systemic patterns of abuse since 2001. Her expertise extends into Judaic and Talmudic law, enriching her robust approach to addressing the roots of domestic abuse and developing effective, community-focused interventions.

To learn more about Resolve SK, head to research-groups.usask.ca/resolve/

To learn more about Resolve SK, head to research-groups.usask.ca/resolve/