MAFS UK – Love bombs and Coercive Control

By Olive McCarthy

Partner & Arbitrator

28 September 2022

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Anyone watching Married at First Sight UK will be amazed at the lengths people will go to find love. However it doesn’t always seem to work out in the programme which is referred to as an “experiment”. It has been reported that in one coupling, one party has been accused by former partners of “love bombing” and “coercive control” but what do these phrases mean?

Love bombing refers to a pattern of behaviour where one partner at the beginning of the relationship showers the other with excessive attention and affection. Whilst some might think that doesn’t sound too bad; the notion of “love bombing” has been linked on occasions as a precursor to the more serious behaviour of coercive control.

Coercive control is a pattern of controlling behaviour by one partner against the other which seeks to exert power, control or coercion over the other. Examples given; isolating one partner from their family or support network, monitoring a partner’s time and depriving them of their basic needs financially or their freedom.

On 29^th December 2015, such controlling/coercive behaviour in a family or intimate relationship became a criminal offence under section 76 of the Serious Crime Act 2015.

At Taylor Walton LLP our Family Specialist Lawyers are sensitive to the needs of our clients going through relationship breakdown. Olive McCarthy MCIArb is a Partner, Financial Arbitrator and Collaborative Lawyer with over 25 years’ experience in Family Law.

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