Is it coercive control or do they just love me a lot? Coercive control can be insidiously ambiguous to people within a relationship. Behaviour change agency, Khemistry, has created a campaign for the Queensland Government that’s simple, straightforward and leaves no question about behaviours that cross the line.
See the Patterns focuses on educating the public about the signs of coercive control, an underpinning dynamic of domestic and family violence.
Coercive control’s ongoing pattern of abusive behaviours don’t always include physical violence but they create a climate of fear, humiliation, isolation and dependence.
Kelly Brightwell, executive strategy director, Khemistry,explained, “While physical violence is called out, as a society we tend to overlook or minimise coercive control behaviours by using language like ‘protective’ or ‘worried’ to describe the behaviours of the person using violence. Disrupting that apathy was key to getting Queenslanders to take notice.”
“Right now, only 2 in 5 Australians know what coercive control is. We were truly honoured and committed to doing our part in supporting the protection of Queenslanders by helping bystanders and victim-survivors trust their gut in what they may be seeing or feeling,” stated Jo Millington, general manager, Khemistry.
The Department of Justice and Attorney-General campaign is part of a broader program of work to better prevent, address and respond to domestic and family violence, ensuring safer and more informed communities. It highlights different abusive behaviours, like stalking, and financial, psychological or emotional abuse, shows how the community can recognise the signs of coercive control and demonstrates how the behaviours can be subtle and escalate over time.
The campaign also informs the community of the upcoming legislative changes to criminalise coercive control. The standalone offence of coercive control commences on May 26 2025 and carries a maximum penalty of 14 years imprisonment.
Brent Liebenberg, executive creative director, Khemistry, noted, “This wasn’t the place for analogies. Countless women are in danger because they may not recognise the seriousness of the situation they’re in. The behaviour follows a pattern that’s easier to identify if you know what to look for, so clear, hard-hitting creative was paramount.”
The full campaign covers TV, social, print, convenience, cinema, radio and digital across Queensland.
Credits:
Client: Department of Justice and Attorney-General Strategic Communications
Marketing Team Leader: Nicole Copeland
Senior Marketing Officer: Laura Mac Kenzie
Creative Agency: Khemistry
General Manager: Jo Millington
Executive Strategy Director: Kelly Brightwell
Executive Creative Director: Brent Liebenberg
Head of Art: Lauren FitzGerald
Copywriter: Kelly Brightwell
Senior Art Director: Kory McAvoy
Senior Account Manager: Mila King
Account Executive: Wendy Phan
Head of Production: Robbie Dodd
Finished Art: Stephen Wallwork
Production Company: Taxi Film Production
Director: Siobhan Mulready
DOP: Jason Hargreaves
Executive Producer: Andrew Wareham
Producer: Imogen Dick
Special Contributor: Emma Freeman
Photographer: Aubrey Jonsson @ Compadre
Retoucher: Derek Leong @ DekArt
Post Production: Cutting Edge
