Women’s Aid responds to inclusion of love bombing in CPS’s guidance on abuse

Lizzy Dobres, Policy and Practice Manager at Women’s Aid said:

“We welcome the inclusion of love bombing in the Crown Prosecution Service’s guidance on abuse. Love bombing is a dangerous tactic often used by abusers in the early stages of the relationship to set the scene for coercive control. It includes excessive and inappropriately showering someone with gifts, compliments, texts, phone calls, promises, attention, or affection which can quickly turn into abuse.

With the change that ensures post-separation coercive and controlling behaviour is included in the criminal offence, it is important for all agencies to understand the behaviours that underpin different forms of abuse, stalking and harassment and how to recognise them. Alongside this, the government must ensure that criminal justice agencies have training from specialists to properly understand coercion, including how it can manifest after a relationship ends. Controlling and coercive behaviour takes many forms with these often being misunderstood, minimised and downplayed. Although love bombing might seem innocent, or even romantic, it is a controlling tactic of abuse which can be frightening for a victim or a warning sign that abuse is escalating.”