This is the Voiceless Justice Act, a central component of the framework established in Voiceless No More: The Legal War on Narcissistic Abuse by Daniel Ryan Cotler and the foundation of the Heal Loudly Movement. It is built to confront what systems have failed to recognize for decades, that narcissistic psychological warfare is not a relationship issue but a structured, pattern based form of coercive control that produces real, measurable harm. This Act defines that harm, establishes legal standards, and creates pathways for accountability where none currently exist.

 

For survivors who were dismissed, mischaracterized, or erased by systems that could not name what was happening to them, this is about recognition, protection, and justice. It addresses post separation abuse, litigation abuse, economic coercion, and the full scope of psychological control that continues long after a victim leaves. It is designed to give language to the reality survivors have lived and to force institutional systems to respond with clarity and precision.

 

This is not theoretical. It is a direct response to the gap between lived experience and legal recognition, and it represents a shift toward treating psychological abuse as a prosecutable pattern of harm rather than isolated incidents that fail to meet outdated thresholds.

 

If you believe survivors of narcissistic psychological warfare deserve to be seen, heard, and protected under the law, you can support this effort by signing the petition at www.change.org/voicelessjusticeact

 

THE VOICELESS JUSTICE ACT OF 2026

© 2026 Daniel Ryan Cotler — Heal Loudly Movement

 

An Act to criminalize pattern based psychological abuse, coercive control, post separation abuse, court weaponization, and psychological homicide; to establish the Federal Registry for Abusers of Narcissistic Knowledge, Identity, and Exploitation (FRANKIE); to provide comprehensive protections, reparations, and judicial reform for survivors; and for other purposes.

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Title I Findings and Congressional Purpose

Title II Definitions

Title III Criminal Offenses and Sentencing

Title IV Jurisdiction and Federal State Coordination

Title V The FRANKIE Registry

Title VI Survivor Rights, Protections, and Reparations

Title VII Digital Evidence and Platform Accountability

 

TITLE I FINDINGS AND CONGRESSIONAL PURPOSE

 

Section 101. Findings

 

Congress finds the following:

 

Whereas, survivors of prolonged coercive control exhibit measurable neurological damage, including hippocampal atrophy, amygdala hyperactivation, prefrontal cortex impairment, and autonomic nervous system dysregulation, equivalent to combat related post traumatic stress disorder, as documented in peer reviewed trauma neuroscience literature;

 

Whereas, the Biderman Chart of Coercion (1957) and the coercive control framework established by Stark (2007) demonstrate that the tactics deployed in intimate partner psychological abuse are structurally identical to those used in documented captivity and torture environments, establishing that the harm is deliberate, patterned, and foreseeable;

 

Whereas, Herman's (1992) foundational research established that prolonged psychological coercion produces a distinct and documented syndrome Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder characterized by alterations in consciousness, self perception, relationships, and systems of meaning, recognized in both DSM 5 TR and ICD 11;

 

Whereas, current federal and state laws fail to recognize pattern based psychological abuse as a criminal offense, leaving survivors without legal recourse and enabling perpetrators to weaponize family courts, child custody proceedings, and social institutions against survivors;

 

Whereas, psychological abuse within intimate relationships and family systems causes documented brain injuries, Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and significantly elevated suicide risk, constituting a public health crisis of national magnitude;

 

Whereas, international jurisdictions including the United Kingdom, Scotland, Ireland, Australia, and France have successfully criminalized coercive control, establishing legal precedent for prosecuting non physical violence in common law systems;

 

Whereas, the Eight Stages of Narcissistic Psychological Warfare (Cotler, 2024) represent a theoretically grounded forensic framework describing the systematic destruction of victim autonomy, identity, and mental health through deliberate psychological tactics;

 

Whereas, post separation abuse including weaponized litigation, financial attrition, stalking, digital surveillance, and the use of children as psychological contact vectors constitutes a continuation of coercive control that current legal frameworks fail to address as a unified pattern of harm;

 

Whereas, family courts are systematically weaponized as mechanisms of post separation coercive control through the use of DARVO tactics, false protective order filings, trauma uninformed custody evaluations, and litigation abuse;

 

Whereas, survivors who die by suicide following prolonged coercive control are casualties of psychological homicide, not isolated mental health crises, and the causal relationship between documented abuse and fatal outcome must be legally cognizable;

 

Whereas, the federal government has a compelling interest in preventing torture, protecting human dignity, reducing suicide, and closing the legal blind spot that has allowed psychological warfare to operate as an invisible, unpunished crime.

 

Section 102. Purpose and Intent

 

The purposes of this Act are to:

 

1. Criminalize pattern based psychological abuse, coercive control, post separation abuse, and psychological homicide under federal law;

 

2. Establish clear legal definitions for predatory psychological tactics including Constructive Fraud of Intimacy, Trauma Encoded Dependency, Coerced Defense Aggression, and Neurological Battery;

 

3. Recognize and address post separation abuse as a continuation of coercive control, not a separate or lesser harm;

 

4. Reform family court proceedings to eliminate the weaponization of legal process against survivors and mandate trauma informed evaluation standards;

 

5. Create sentencing guidelines proportionate to the severe and lasting harm caused by psychological warfare;

 

6. Establish the FRANKIE Registry with full integration across family court, criminal, civil, and child protective services proceedings;

 

7. Guarantee comprehensive rights, protections, and reparations for survivors, including recognition under the Americans with Disabilities Act;

 

8. Provide a federal civil cause of action for economic abuse, financial coercion, and litigation based financial attrition;

 

9. Set evidentiary standards for neurological and psychological harm admissible in criminal, civil, and family court proceedings;

 

10. Mandate trauma informed training for federal and state judges, prosecutors, custody evaluators, law enforcement, and child protective services;

 

11. Hold digital platforms accountable for enabling psychological abuse through surveillance, harassment, and synthetic media;

 

12. Establish accountability mechanisms for attorneys who knowingly facilitate litigation abuse on behalf of coercive abusers;

 

13. Provide federal funding for survivor services, trauma informed prosecutions, neuro forensic evaluations, and judicial reform.

 

TITLE II DEFINITIONS

 

Section 201. Core Definitions

 

(a) Pattern Based Coercive Psychological Abuse: A course of conduct comprising two or more predicate acts within a 24 month period that maps to one or more of the Eight Stages of Narcissistic Psychological Warfare, undertaken knowingly and intentionally to dominate, control, isolate, degrade, or destroy the victim's autonomy, identity, or mental health, that causes clinically measurable neurological injury or psychological harm, and that would cause a reasonable person in the victim's circumstances to feel terrorized, isolated, controlled, or unable to escape.

 

(b) Psychological Homicide: The systematic destruction of a person's cognitive function, autonomy, identity, and will to live through prolonged pattern based coercive psychological abuse that results in the victim's death by suicide, stress induced medical crisis, or total psychological collapse, or creates conditions where death by suicide becomes a foreseeable outcome.

 

(c) Neurological Battery: The intentional infliction of measurable brain injury through sustained psychological abuse, including hippocampal atrophy, amygdala hyperactivation, prefrontal cortex dysfunction, autonomic nervous system dysregulation, and documented Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder resulting from relational trauma, treated as felony assault where clinically documented.

 

(d) Constructive Fraud of Intimacy: The deliberate fabrication of false emotional intimacy, affection, commitment, or attachment for the purpose of bypassing the victim's psychological defenses, creating dependency, gaining access to the victim's resources or identity, and establishing control that would not otherwise be possible.

 

(e) Trauma Encoded Dependency: A neurobiological condition created through deliberate cycles of abuse and intermittent positive reinforcement in which the victim becomes biochemically dependent on the abuser through hijacking of oxytocin, dopamine, and cortisol systems, experiences withdrawal symptoms, and develops involuntary neurological captivity.

 

(f) Coerced Defense Aggression: A reactive behavioral state intentionally provoked by the abuser through sustained psychological abuse in which the victim's trauma response is deliberately triggered and weaponized to portray them as unstable or unfit in legal or institutional contexts.

 

(g) Reputational Homicide: A deliberate, sustained campaign to destroy the victim's credibility, social standing, or professional reputation through defamation, false reports, coordinated social isolation, or institutional manipulation, actionable where such conduct results in functional collapse, suicidality, or permanent disability.

 

(h) Post Separation Abuse: The continuation of coercive psychological control following physical separation from the abuser, including weaponized litigation; financial attrition through manufactured legal proceedings; surveillance and stalking; use of children as psychological contact vectors; hoovering and intermittent contact as continued captivity; post separation reputational destruction; and the weaponization of courts, child protective services, or law enforcement as instruments of continued coercive control.

 

(i) Litigation Abuse: The deliberate use of legal proceedings including frivolous motions, false protective order applications, emergency custody modification filings, and prolonged discovery disputes as instruments of post separation coercive control designed to financially exhaust, psychologically destabilize, and institutionally discredit the survivor.

 

(j) DARVO: Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender a documented abuser response pattern in which the perpetrator denies the abuse, attacks the credibility of the person who confronted them, and reverses the roles of victim and offender in legal and institutional proceedings, constituting a predicate act of coercive control when systematically deployed.

 

(k) Economic Abuse: A pattern of conduct designed to establish or maintain financial control over a victim or survivor, including dissipation of marital or joint assets; interference with the survivor's employment or earning capacity; manufactured litigation debt; coerced financial transfers; sabotage of credit; refusal to comply with support orders; and post separation financial coercion.

 

(l) Child Weaponization and Coercive Parental Alienation: The strategic use of children as instruments of psychological abuse through coaching, triangulation, manipulation of custody proceedings, use of children as psychological messengers or surveillance conduits, and deliberate alienation of children from the survivor parent.

 

(m) Eight Stages of Narcissistic Psychological Warfare: The forensic framework (Cotler, 2024) describing the systematic progression of coercive psychological abuse comprising:

 

1. Indoctrination 

 

2. Psychological Breakdown 

 

3. Psychological Enslavement 

 

4. Mental Reprogramming 

 

5. Psychological Punishment 

 

6. Psychological Submission 

 

7. Psychological Captivity 

 

8. Destruction and Erasure 

 

(n) Trauma Informed Evaluation: An assessment methodology conducted by a qualified evaluator with documented training in coercive control, Complex PTSD, neurobiological trauma responses, and the evidentiary significance of injury consistent survivor behaviors.

 

(o) Institutionalized Coercive Control: The weaponization of legal systems, law enforcement, family courts, medical institutions, or child protective services to extend, legitimize, or amplify psychological abuse.

 

(p) Digital Psychological Warfare: The use of technology to surveil, harass, defame, or terrorize the victim through cyberstalking, deepfake media, unauthorized account access, coordinated online harassment, GPS tracking, spyware installation, or digital impersonation.

 

(q) Survivor: Any person subjected to pattern based coercive psychological abuse as defined in this Act, regardless of whether physical violence was present.

 

(r) Predicate Act: Any conduct that constitutes an element of one or more of the Eight Stages of Narcissistic Psychological Warfare, including post separation abuse acts, litigation abuse, economic abuse, and digital psychological warfare.

TITLE III CRIMINAL OFFENSES AND SENTENCING

 

Section 301. Criminal Offenses, Classifications, and Penalties

 

(a) Pattern Based Coercive Psychological Abuse

Tier 1 Offense defined as a course of conduct involving two to four predicate acts within a 24 month period without documented severe psychological or neurological injury. Classified as a misdemeanor or low level felony. Penalties include fines up to $50,000, imprisonment up to 1 year, mandatory completion of certified coercive control intervention programming, and issuance of protective orders.

 

Tier 2 Offense defined as a course of conduct involving five or more predicate acts, or a sustained pattern demonstrating escalation, isolation, or dependency creation, with documented psychological harm including Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or functional impairment. Classified as a felony. Penalties include fines up to $150,000 and imprisonment from 1 to 5 years, mandatory restitution, and mandatory completion of coercive control rehabilitation programming.

 

Tier 3 Offense defined as a sustained pattern of coercive psychological abuse involving aggravating factors including institutional weaponization, use of children, economic entrapment, or documented neurological injury supported by clinical evaluation. Classified as an aggravated felony. Penalties include fines up to $300,000 and imprisonment from 5 to 12 years, mandatory restitution, long term protective orders, and supervised release conditions restricting contact and litigation conduct.

 

(b) Aggravated Coercive Psychological Abuse Resulting in Death

Where pattern based coercive psychological abuse is demonstrated to be a substantial contributing factor in the death of the victim through suicide or stress induced medical crisis, the offense shall be classified as a high level felony. Penalties include imprisonment from 10 to 25 years. Sentencing shall be determined based on foreseeability, duration of abuse, and degree of documented harm, consistent with existing standards for reckless homicide and manslaughter.

 

(c) Neurological Injury Resulting from Coercive Psychological Abuse

Where clinically supported evidence establishes measurable neurological impairment resulting from sustained coercive psychological abuse, the offense shall be treated as an aggravated form of Tier 2 or Tier 3 conduct. Penalties include enhanced sentencing within the applicable tier range, mandatory medical and neuropsychological restitution, and court ordered long term treatment funding.

 

(d) Aggravating Factors

The following factors, when supported by evidence, shall increase sentencing within the applicable tier range:

 

1. Deliberate exploitation of emotional or psychological dependency

 

2. Use of children as instruments of coercive control

 

3. Institutional weaponization including misuse of courts, law enforcement, or protective services

 

4. Sustained reputational destruction resulting in loss of employment, housing, or community standing

 

5. Economic abuse resulting in significant financial harm or forced dependency

 

6. Post separation continuation of coercive control

 

7. Violation of existing protective orders or court directives

 

(e) Child Involvement and Endangerment

Where coercive psychological abuse involves the use of a minor as a direct instrument of control, surveillance, or manipulation, the offense shall be elevated within the applicable tier and may include additional penalties of up to 5 years imprisonment. Courts shall mandate protective interventions and therapeutic support for affected children.

 

(f) Digital Coercive Psychological Abuse

Where coercive control is carried out through digital means including surveillance, impersonation, or coordinated harassment, the offense shall be prosecuted within the existing tier structure with potential sentence enhancement. Penalties include fines up to $150,000, imprisonment consistent with the underlying tier, mandatory removal of harmful content, and prohibition of digital contact.

 

(g) Litigation Abuse as Coercive Control

Where litigation conduct is determined to be part of a pattern of coercive psychological abuse, courts may impose sanctions including fee shifting, restrictions on future filings, and referral for disciplinary review. Where such conduct rises to the level of Tier 2 or Tier 3 pattern based abuse, it may be prosecuted within those classifications.

 

(h) Restitution and Sentencing Considerations

Courts shall order restitution for economic losses, medical and mental health treatment, relocation, legal expenses incurred due to abuse, and costs associated with recovery from coercive psychological harm. Sentencing shall consider the duration of the pattern, severity of harm, vulnerability of the victim, and likelihood of continued coercive conduct.

 

(i) Alternatives to Incarceration for Lower Tier Offenses

For Tier 1 offenses, courts may impose probation, mandated intervention programs, and monitoring in lieu of incarceration where appropriate, provided that victim safety is ensured and compliance is strictly enforced.

 

TITLE IV JURISDICTION AND FEDERAL STATE COORDINATION

 

Section 401. Federal Jurisdiction

 

Federal jurisdiction extends to cases where offenses cross state lines; digital means are used to extend or amplify coercive control; post separation abuse is perpetrated across state boundaries; federal court proceedings are weaponized as instruments of coercive control; or the offense results in or creates foreseeable risk of death. Coordination with state and local law enforcement and family courts is mandatory. The Department of Justice shall issue model state statutes within 18 months of enactment for adoption by state legislatures.

 

TITLE V THE FRANKIE REGISTRY

 

Section 501. Establishment

 

There is hereby established the Federal Registry for Abusers of Narcissistic Knowledge, Identity, and Exploitation (FRANKIE), a national database and cross institutional information system designed to prevent repeat victimization, support institutional protection of survivors, and document the pattern based nature of psychological offenses across jurisdictions.

 

Section 502. Inclusion Criteria

 

Registration is required upon: conviction under this Act; issuance of a permanent protective order citing coercive psychological abuse; two or more temporary protective orders citing coercive abuse within a five year period; a family court finding of coercive control affecting custody determination; or multiple violations of court orders related to psychological coercive control.

 

Section 503. Full Institutional Integration

 

The FRANKIE Registry shall be fully integrated across:

 

Family Court Proceedings: Courts shall query the registry in all custody, protective order, and divorce proceedings. A registry listing constitutes a rebuttable presumption of coercive control risk in custody determinations.

 

Criminal Court Proceedings: Registry status is an aggravating factor in sentencing and relevant in bail and detention determinations.

 

Civil Court Proceedings: Registry status is admissible in civil proceedings and protective order proceedings.

 

Child Protective Services: CPS agencies shall query the registry in all investigations involving allegations of domestic abuse or child welfare concerns.

 

Law Enforcement: Law enforcement agencies shall have real time query access in responding to domestic disturbance calls, protective order enforcement, and stalking investigations.

 

Section 504. Survivor Notification and Rights

 

Survivors whose abusers are listed shall receive automated notification upon registry listing, status changes, and removal petitions; the right to submit impact statements in removal petition reviews; and access to safety planning resources.

 

Section 505. Judicial Review and Removal

 

After fifteen years, registrants may petition for removal upon demonstrating a favorable five year interval review, completion of all required rehabilitation programming, no new offenses or protective orders, and positive independent psychological evaluation.

 

Section 506. Rehabilitation Requirements

 

Registry removal requires documented completion of cognitive behavioral therapy or schema therapy; coercive control accountability training; independent psychological evaluation; and public education participation on coercive control.

 

Section 507. Pattern Based Identification

 

The registry shall cross reference aliases, protective orders, jurisdictional records, and Eight Stage pattern evidence to identify serial abusers operating across multiple relationships or jurisdictions.

 

Section 508. Digital Integration

 

The registry shall integrate with abuse reporting systems, court records, social services databases, law enforcement databases, and technology platform portals.

 

Section 509. Appeals and Wrongful Listing

 

An independent review committee shall consider grievances regarding wrongful listing within 120 days. Retaliatory listings trigger federal investigation and constitute a predicate act of post separation coercive control.

 

Section 510. Public Access

 

Public access requires identity verification and agreement to terms prohibiting use for harassment, doxxing, stalking, or vigilante action. Violations are subject to criminal and civil penalties.

 

Section 511. Institutional Compliance

 

Agencies must report qualifying cases within 10 business days, notify affected survivors of status changes, and complete annual FRANKIE integration training. Non compliance triggers federal audit, sanction, and potential revocation of federal funding.

 

TITLE VI SURVIVOR RIGHTS, PROTECTIONS, AND REPARATIONS

 

Section 601. Legal Recognition

 

Survivors are legally recognized as victims of violence and entitled to the full range of federal victim rights, including to be treated with fairness, respect, and dignity; to be informed of all proceedings; to be heard at sentencing and parole; to be protected from intimidation or retaliation; to access protective orders enforceable across jurisdictions; and to request trauma informed procedural accommodations in all legal proceedings.

 

Section 602. Restitution

 

Courts shall order comprehensive restitution encompassing economic losses from employment interference or reputational harm; medical and mental health costs including long term Complex PTSD treatment; relocation and emergency housing; losses from financial exploitation or coerced transfers; litigation costs incurred as a result of abuse related proceedings; and attorney fees incurred in defending against litigation abuse.

 

Section 603. Psychological Injury as Disability

 

Documented functional impairment arising from coercive psychological abuse qualifies survivors for ADA protections, including workplace accommodations, long term mental health coverage, and protection from employment discrimination based on trauma related functional limitations.

 

Section 604. Protective Custody and Parental Rights

 

Survivors with findings of coercive psychological abuse are protected from retaliatory parental alienation claims; presumed to retain primary custody where the other parent has been found to exert coercive control; entitled to trauma informed advocates in all family court proceedings; and protected from the use of trauma consistent behaviors as negative evidence of parenting capacity.

 

Section 605. Federal Psychological Abuse Victim Fund

 

A national fund provides financial assistance for therapy, legal aid, reputation repair, vocational rehabilitation, and emergency housing, administered by the DOJ Office for Coercive Abuse Justice. Survivor access does not require criminal conviction of the abuser.

 

Section 606. Right to Narrative Restoration

 

Survivors may issue formal public impact statements, petition to clear false allegations entered into institutional records, and be formally recognized through the National Survivor Recognition Program as survivors of psychological abuse.

 

Section 607. Protection Against Defamation Suits

 

Survivors who disclose their experience of coercive psychological abuse in good faith are protected from defamation claims by registered abusers or their agents. Such suits shall be subject to anti SLAPP dismissal under federal standards and shall constitute a predicate act of post separation coercive control and Reputational Homicide.

 

Section 608. Institutional Complaint Rights

 

Survivors may file complaints for institutional betrayal defined as the failure of courts, law enforcement, medical institutions, or child protective services to recognize, address, or protect against coercive psychological abuse.

 

TITLE VII DIGITAL EVIDENCE AND PLATFORM ACCOUNTABILITY

 

Section 701. Criminalization of Digital Psychological Abuse

 

Digital coercive acts including impersonation, AI generated deepfakes, spyware installation, unauthorized account access, GPS surveillance, coordinated harassment campaigns, cyberstalking, doxxing, and digital gaslighting are classified as felony level coercive control and prosecuted under the same standards as analog abuse.

 

Section 702. Digital Shielding Orders

 

Upon conviction or issuance of a protective order, courts may issue Digital Shielding Orders mandating immediate removal of abusive content; permanent account blocking; platform level flags preventing new account creation by FRANKIE listed individuals; prohibition of indirect contact via bots, third parties, or coordinated networks; and expedited takedown timelines.

 

Section 703. Platform Responsibility

 

United States technology companies must comply with FRANKIE related takedown orders; cooperate with court orders issued under this Act; flag content from FRANKIE listed accounts; deploy detection systems to identify coordinated harassment patterns; and train trust and safety personnel in the Eight Stages framework. Non compliance triggers civil fines up to $10,000,000 per violation.

 

Section 704. AI Generated Abuse Prohibition

 

Using artificial intelligence to simulate a survivor's voice or appearance, fabricate incriminating communications, falsify institutional records, or generate synthetic media for purposes of coercive control or Reputational Homicide constitutes felony psychological falsification.

 

Section 705. Digital Evidence Protocols

 

Digital evidence is admissible when authenticated via metadata, platform records, or qualified digital forensics expert testimony, linked to a documented coercive pattern, and corroborated by survivor affidavits or clinical documentation.

 

TITLE VIII EXPERT TESTIMONY AND EVIDENTIARY STANDARDS

 

Section 801. Pattern Based Prosecution

 

Courts may admit cumulative evidence including communications, financial records, surveillance data, expert analyses, neuropsychological evaluations, survivor logs, institutional documents, and FRANKIE Registry records to establish the pattern, intent, and impact of coercive psychological abuse. Individual incidents need not independently satisfy the elements of the offense; cumulative pattern evidence is sufficient.

 

Section 802. Use of the Eight Stages as a Forensic Framework

 

Prosecutors, plaintiffs, and their experts may map evidence to the Eight Stages of Narcissistic Psychological Warfare to demonstrate the architecture of the coercive pattern, the abuser's intent, and the escalation of harm over time.

 

Section 803. Expert Testimony

 

Permitted experts include clinical psychologists; neuropsychologists; psychiatrists; trauma informed social workers; neurobiologists; legal scholars with expertise in coercive control; qualified forensic advocates; and corroborated survivor witnesses.

 

Section 804. Victim Credibility Preservation

 

Trauma related behaviors including emotional dysregulation, memory fragmentation, non linear testimony, hypervigilance, apparent passivity, and dissociation shall not be used to discredit survivor testimony. Courts shall provide jury instructions explaining the neurobiological basis of trauma consistent presentation.

 

Section 805. DARVO as Evidentiary Pattern

 

Expert testimony identifying DARVO as a documented abuser response pattern is admissible to contextualize the abuser's conduct in legal proceedings, cross examinations, and institutional evaluations.

 

Section 806. Psychological Autopsy

 

In cases where coercive psychological abuse is alleged to have contributed to a victim's death, forensic psychological autopsies conducted by qualified experts are admissible to establish the causal relationship between documented abuse and fatal outcome.

 

Section 807. Evidentiary Protections and Due Process

 

Conviction under this Act requires clear corroborated evidence of coercive intent, documented pattern, and clinically measurable harm. Anonymous allegations alone are insufficient. All defendants retain full due process rights.

 

TITLE IX IMPLEMENTATION, TRAINING, AND FUNDING

 

Section 901. Office for Coercive Abuse Justice OCAJ

 

An independent agency within the Department of Justice, designated the Office for Coercive Abuse Justice, shall coordinate enforcement, manage the FRANKIE Registry, oversee state compliance, allocate grants, and train stakeholders on coercive control, the Eight Stages framework, post separation abuse, court weaponization, and economic abuse.

 

Section 902. Appropriations

 

Congress appropriates $850 million for the first five years, allocated as: 30% for training and investigation; 25% for survivor services; 20% for digital forensics and platform accountability; 15% for court appointed trauma informed evaluators and judicial training; 10% for FRANKIE Registry operations and public education.

 

Section 903. Mandatory Training Requirements

 

Mandatory trauma informed training shall be required for all federal and state judges presiding over family court, criminal, or civil proceedings where coercive control is alleged; all court appointed custody evaluators and guardians ad litem; all law enforcement personnel responding to domestic disturbance calls; all child protective services investigators; all prosecutors handling cases under this Act; and all attorneys seeking court appointment in coercive control proceedings.

 

Section 904. Oversight Board

 

A 13 member Federal Oversight Board shall publish an Annual National Report on case statistics, registry data, survivor outcomes, institutional compliance, and policy recommendations.

 

Section 905. International Advocacy

 

The United States shall urge UN recognition of coercive psychological abuse as a form of torture, promote global registry adoption consistent with the FRANKIE model, and coordinate with INTERPOL and international human rights bodies to track cross border coercive abusers.

 

TITLE X CONSTITUTIONAL SAFEGUARDS AND AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSES

 

Section 1001. Affirmative Defenses

 

Affirmative defenses include clear and convincing evidence of the alleged victim's informed consent to conduct that would otherwise constitute a predicate act, where such consent was freely given and not the product of Trauma Encoded Dependency; legitimate parental guidance and discipline absent coercive elements; and documented mental incapacity at the time of the offense preventing the formation of intentional conduct.

 

Section 1002. First Amendment Preservation

 

Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit constitutionally protected speech or expression; good faith exercise of legal rights in judicial proceedings, except where such exercise constitutes documented litigation abuse as a pattern of post separation coercive control; or legitimate advocacy, journalism, or public commentary on matters of public concern.

 

Section 1003. Due Process Protections

 

All criminal prosecutions under this Act shall comply with Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment due process requirements. The burden of proof in criminal proceedings remains proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

 

TITLE XI POST SEPARATION ABUSE AND CONTINUED COERCIVE CONTROL

 

Section 1101. Legislative Finding

 

Congress finds that physical separation from an abuser does not terminate coercive psychological control. Post separation abuse represents a documented and frequently escalating continuation of the coercive control pattern, often constituting the most dangerous and institutionally invisible phase of the abuse cycle. This title addresses that gap.

 

Section 1102. Post Separation Abuse as a Continuing Offense

 

Post separation abuse constitutes a continuing criminal offense under this Act when it comprises two or more predicate acts within a 24 month period following separation, is undertaken with intent to maintain coercive psychological control over the survivor, and produces or foreseeably produces neurological injury, psychological harm, or functional limitation.

 

Section 1103. Weaponized Litigation as Post Separation Coercive Control

 

The deliberate use of legal proceedings as a mechanism of post separation coercive control constitutes litigation abuse and a predicate act under this Act where the legal proceeding was initiated without a legitimate legal basis, or with a legitimate legal basis deployed primarily as a pretext for coercive contact, financial attrition, or institutional discrediting of the survivor; the abuser knew or reasonably should have known that the proceeding would cause harm disproportionate to any legitimate legal objective; the filing constitutes part of a documented pattern; and the proceeding causes documented harm to the survivor.

 

Section 1104. Financial Attrition Through Legal Proceedings

 

The deliberate manufacture of litigation debt through frivolous, repetitive, or bad faith legal proceedings constitutes economic abuse and a predicate act of post separation coercive control. Courts shall have authority to award survivor attorneys fees; impose sanctions; issue Litigation Abuse Protective Orders; and refer documented litigation abuse to the DOJ Office for Coercive Abuse Justice.

 

Section 1105. Litigation Abuse Protective Orders LAPOs

 

Upon a finding of litigation abuse, courts shall have authority to issue a Litigation Abuse Protective Order providing that the abuser may not file additional legal proceedings against the survivor without prior judicial approval; that any future filing shall be accompanied by a certification of good faith basis signed by counsel under penalty of sanction; that violation of a LAPO constitutes contempt of court and a predicate act subject to criminal prosecution; and that LAPO issuance shall be reported to the FRANKIE Registry.

 

Section 1106. Post Separation Stalking and Surveillance

 

Post separation stalking, physical surveillance, GPS tracking, installation of monitoring software, and digital surveillance constitute predicate acts of post separation coercive control and are prosecuted under this Act in addition to applicable state and federal stalking statutes.

 

Section 1107. Hoovering and Intermittent Contact as Continued Captivity

 

Deliberate intermittent contact initiated by the abuser following separation through direct communication, third party proxies, gifts, false reconciliation overtures, or manufactured crises constitutes a predicate act of post separation coercive control where such contact is part of a documented pattern designed to maintain psychological captivity or prevent the survivor's recovery.

 

Section 1108. Use of Children as Post Separation Psychological Contact Vectors

 

The use of children as instruments of post separation coercive control including coaching children to surveil the survivor parent, using children to deliver messages or gather information, and manipulating children's accounts of the survivor parent's behavior for use in litigation constitutes Child Weaponization and a predicate act subject to enhanced sentencing.

 

Section 1109. Post Separation Reputational Destruction

 

Coordinated post separation campaigns to destroy the survivor's professional reputation, social relationships, or institutional credibility constitute Reputational Homicide and a predicate act of post separation coercive control subject to enhanced sentencing.

 

Section 1110. Evidentiary Standards for Post Separation Abuse

 

In proceedings involving post separation abuse: evidence of the pre separation coercive control pattern is admissible as context; the pattern of post separation predicate acts shall be evaluated cumulatively; expert testimony on post separation abuse as a continuation of the coercive control cycle is admissible; FRANKIE Registry records are admissible; and the survivor's neuropsychological evaluation documenting harm arising during the post separation period is admissible to establish continuing injury.

 

TITLE XII COURT WEAPONIZATION, LITIGATION ABUSE, AND JUDICIAL REFORM

 

Section 1201. Legislative Finding

 

Congress finds that family courts and other judicial institutions are systematically weaponized as mechanisms of post separation coercive control. Abusers exploit the family court system's structural vulnerabilities including the absence of trauma informed evaluation standards and the credibility trap produced by trauma consistent survivor presentation to continue psychological warfare through legal process. This title establishes the legal framework and institutional reforms necessary to eliminate court weaponization as a mechanism of coercive control.

 

Section 1202. Court Weaponization as Institutionalized Coercive Control

 

The use of judicial proceedings as instruments of coercive psychological control including through DARVO tactics, false protective order applications, bad faith emergency custody modifications, coordinated false allegations, and the strategic exploitation of trauma consistent survivor presentation to manufacture adverse credibility findings constitutes Institutionalized Coercive Control and a predicate act under this Act.

 

Section 1203. Mandatory Trauma Informed Evaluation Standards

 

All court appointed custody evaluators, guardians ad litem, parenting coordinators, and forensic evaluators in proceedings where coercive control is alleged shall hold documented training in coercive control, Complex PTSD, and trauma consistent survivor presentation; apply trauma informed evaluation protocols; document their evaluation methodology; query the FRANKIE Registry as a mandatory component of all custody evaluations; and provide written explanation when evaluation conclusions conflict with FRANKIE Registry findings.

 

Section 1204. Prohibition Against Using Trauma Symptoms as Credibility Evidence

 

In all proceedings where coercive control is alleged, trauma consistent survivor behaviors shall not be used as negative credibility evidence; evaluators and courts shall receive mandatory instruction that such behaviors are injury consistent presentations; and expert testimony on the neurobiological basis of these presentations shall be admissible as a matter of right.

 

Section 1205. DARVO Recognition and Documentation

 

Courts, evaluators, and attorneys shall be trained to recognize and document DARVO. Where DARVO is identified: expert testimony on DARVO shall be admissible; DARVO documentation shall be reported to the FRANKIE Registry; and courts shall issue instructions preventing DARVO tactics from being treated as substantive evidence of the survivor's instability or unreliability.

 

Section 1206. False Protective Order Applications

 

The filing of a protective order application by an abuser against a survivor as a tactic of post separation coercive control constitutes a predicate act of litigation abuse. Courts shall evaluate protective order applications in the context of the full coercive control history; query the FRANKIE Registry before issuing any protective order; apply a rebuttable presumption against the abuser's application where FRANKIE listing or prior coercive control findings exist; and refer false applications to the DOJ Office for Coercive Abuse Justice.

 

Section 1207. Attorney Accountability for Facilitation of Litigation Abuse

 

Attorneys who knowingly facilitate litigation abuse are subject to mandatory referral to state bar disciplinary proceedings; civil liability to the survivor for attorneys fees, costs, and damages; sanctions under applicable federal court rules; mandatory reporting to the DOJ Office for Coercive Abuse Justice; and ineligibility for court appointment in proceedings under this Act for five years.

 

Section 1208. Judicial Training and Accountability

 

All judges presiding over proceedings where coercive control is alleged shall complete mandatory training as specified in Section 903. Judicial decisions shall be subject to enhanced appellate review for compliance with the trauma informed standards established by this Act.

 

Section 1209. Family Court FRANKIE Integration

 

In all family court proceedings involving custody, protective orders, or divorce where coercive control is alleged: FRANKIE Registry query is mandatory before any custody or protective order determination; FRANKIE listing constitutes a rebuttable presumption of coercive control risk; and family courts shall document their consideration of FRANKIE Registry findings in written orders.

 

Section 1210. Survivor Advocates in Family Court Proceedings

 

Survivors are entitled to a trauma informed survivor advocate funded through the Federal Psychological Abuse Victim Fund; an attorney trained in coercive control and the Eight Stages framework; and procedural accommodations including separate waiting areas, staggered entry and exit from courtrooms, and remote testimony options.

 

Section 1211. Emergency Custody Modification Standards

 

Emergency custody modification motions filed by FRANKIE listed parties shall be subject to heightened judicial scrutiny. Courts shall require a showing of clear and specific evidence of imminent harm before granting ex parte relief; notify the survivor and their counsel within 24 hours of any ex parte filing; schedule an expedited hearing within 72 hours; and refer patterns of repetitive emergency filing to the DOJ Office for Coercive Abuse Justice.

 

Section 1212. Parental Alienation Claims in Coercive Control Context

 

In proceedings where coercive control has been established or credibly alleged: parental alienation claims by the alleged abuser shall be evaluated in the context of the full coercive control history; a survivor parent's protective behaviors shall not be classified as alienation without trauma informed evaluation; and courts shall apply a rebuttable presumption that parental alienation claims filed by FRANKIE listed parties constitute Child Weaponization pending full evidentiary hearing.

 

TITLE XIII ECONOMIC ABUSE, FINANCIAL COERCION, AND ASSET PROTECTION

 

Section 1301. Legislative Finding

 

Congress finds that economic abuse is both a mechanism of coercive control within intimate relationships and a primary weapon of post separation coercive control. Financial coercion including manufactured litigation debt, dissipation of marital assets, interference with employment, sabotage of credit, and refusal to comply with support obligations is systematically used to maintain economic dependency, prevent survivors from accessing legal representation, and exhaust survivors' capacity to pursue legal protection.

 

Section 1302. Economic Abuse as a Predicate Act

 

Economic abuse constitutes a predicate act of coercive psychological control under this Act where it is undertaken intentionally, as part of a documented pattern, and produces financial harm, functional limitation, or psychological harm to the survivor.

 

Section 1303. Civil Cause of Action for Economic Abuse

 

A survivor who has suffered economic abuse may bring a civil action in federal court for compensatory damages including all financial losses; consequential damages including lost earning capacity and credit damage; restitution of all assets dissipated or transferred through economic coercion; punitive damages in cases of deliberate and sustained economic abuse; and attorneys fees and costs. A civil cause of action may be brought independently of criminal prosecution and does not require a prior criminal conviction.

 

Section 1304. Dissipation of Assets as Economic Coercion

 

The deliberate dissipation of marital or joint assets for purposes of denying the survivor economic resources shall constitute economic abuse and a predicate act of coercive control; a basis for enhanced distribution of remaining marital assets in favor of the survivor; and grounds for the issuance of an asset preservation order.

 

Section 1305. Employment Interference

 

Deliberate interference with the survivor's employment or earning capacity including sabotage of professional relationships, filing false complaints with employers or licensing boards, and damaging the survivor's professional reputation constitutes economic abuse and Reputational Homicide, subject to civil liability and criminal prosecution.

 

Section 1306. Manufactured Litigation Debt

 

The deliberate accumulation of litigation costs against the survivor through frivolous, repetitive, or bad faith legal proceedings constitutes economic abuse. Courts shall have authority to order fee shifting; issue Litigation Abuse Protective Orders; award the survivor a credit against any financial obligations to the abuser equivalent to documented litigation abuse costs; and consider manufactured litigation debt in economic abuse damages calculations.

 

Section 1307. Support Order Compliance

 

Willful non compliance with court ordered support obligations as a mechanism of continued economic coercion shall constitute economic abuse and a predicate act of post separation coercive control; a basis for FRANKIE Registry reporting; and grounds for enhanced civil and criminal sanctions.

 

Section 1308. Federal Restitution Fund for Economic Abuse

 

The Federal Psychological Abuse Victim Fund shall include a dedicated economic abuse restitution component providing emergency financial assistance for survivors whose access to legal representation has been eliminated by litigation based financial attrition; restitution payments for documented economic losses; credit restoration assistance; vocational rehabilitation funding; and access to federally guaranteed legal representation in civil economic abuse proceedings.

 

TITLE XIV EFFECTIVE DATE, SEVERABILITY, AND APPLICABILITY

 

Section 1401. Effective Date

 

This Act shall take effect 180 days after the date of enactment, providing sufficient time to establish operational infrastructure, training programs, FRANKIE Registry systems, and institutional protocols necessary for effective implementation. Nothing in this section shall prevent the immediate establishment of the FRANKIE Registry and survivor fund upon enactment.

 

Section 1402. Severability

 

If any provision of this Act, or the application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held unconstitutional or otherwise invalid, the remaining provisions shall not be affected thereby. Each title, section, and subsection is intended to be severable.

 

Section 1403. Applicability and Construction

 

This Act applies prospectively to all conduct occurring after the effective date. Prior acts of coercive psychological abuse may be considered in aggravation of offenses committed after the effective date, as evidence of pattern and intent, and as context for evaluating post separation coercive control. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit existing civil or criminal remedies available to survivors under federal or state law; preempt state coercive control statutes that provide greater protections; or restrict the application of this Act's evidentiary standards in proceedings arising under other federal statutes.

 

© 2026 Daniel Ryan Cotler. All Rights Reserved.

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