For approximately ten years, I have experienced coercive control, psychological abuse and serious financial abuse by my own sibling. This was not a single disagreement or isolated incident. It was a sustained pattern of manipulation, exploitation and control that has caused profound damage to my finances, independence, health and emotional wellbeing.

Like many victim-survivors of non-physical family violence, I have found that existing protections have not protected me in practice. Because the alleged perpetrator is my sibling rather than an intimate partner—and because the abuse did not leave visible bruises—I have faced enormous difficulty being heard and taken seriously.

When I sought help after loosing my stepfather and realising what was actually happening , I was redirected between police, banks, government agencies and support services. I was told that evidence was needed, yet I received little practical assistance to identify or obtain that evidence. I have effectively been left to investigate years of complex financial conduct myself while already suffering the physical and psychological consequences of the abuse.

Coercive control does not occur only between intimate partners. It can be committed by siblings, adult children, carers and other relatives through sustained financial abuse, intimidation, manipulation, identity misuse, exploitation and domination.

No victim-survivor should have to wait until abuse becomes physically violent before receiving meaningful protection. Victoria needs a clear standalone criminal offence addressing serious patterns of coercive control, together with reporting and investigation pathways that protect people abused by siblings and other family members.

I am sharing my experience because this is bigger than my own story. Victim-survivors of coercive control and financial abuse within families deserve to be heard, protected and taken seriously.

My experience has included:

• Approximately ten years of alleged coercive control, psychological manipulation and financial abuse by my sibling.

• Being pressured and coerced in relation to financial and legal documents without being given a full, honest understanding of their purpose or consequences.

• Money being transferred and financial arrangements being made in circumstances that I am now having to investigate and document.

• Concerns involving the use of my personal identity and information.

• My grief, trust and vulnerability was exploited by someone who should have protected me.

• Being made to doubt myself and feel powerless while the pattern of control continued.

• Significant damage to my financial security, independence, family relationships, physical health and psychological wellbeing.

• Having to gather bank records, correspondence, documents, property information and other evidence myself while already experiencing severe distress.

• Being redirected between police, banks, government agencies and support organisations, with no single service taking responsibility for assessing the complete pattern of alleged conduct.

• Being treated as though each incident stands alone instead of being recognised as part of a sustained pattern of coercive control.

This experience has shown me a serious gap between what Victorian family-violence law recognises and what victim-survivors can access in practice. Although financial and emotional abuse by family members may be recognised, there is no clear standalone Victorian criminal offence that addresses the entire pattern of coercive control.

Victim-survivors need:

• A clear place to make an initial report about a pattern of coercive control.

• Police and investigators trained to recognise financial and psychological abuse by siblings and other relatives.

• Practical assistance obtaining evidence rather than being expected to conduct complex investigations alone.

• Proper coordination between police, banks, Centrelink, the NDIS, insurers and other relevant organisations.

• Protection before the abuse escalates into physical violence.

• Laws and procedures that recognise the cumulative effect of repeated conduct—not merely isolated incidents.

This petition is not about one family disagreement. It is about closing a dangerous gap that can leave victim-survivors financially devastated, psychologically traumatised and without meaningful protection simply because their abuser is a sibling or another family member.