If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For support in Ontario, the Assaulted Women's Helpline is 1-866-863-0511. This article is general information, not legal or safety advice.
When courts make decisions about children, the law asks one central question: what is in the child's best interests? In Canada, that analysis expressly includes family violence — and family violence is understood to include patterns of coercive and controlling behaviour, not just physical incidents. This article explains how coercive control fits into parenting decisions in Ontario, and why a careful record matters.
Family violence is part of 'best interests'
Under the Divorce Act, 'family violence' is defined broadly to include conduct that is coercive and controlling, or that causes a family member to fear for their safety — and courts must consider family violence and its impact when making parenting orders. Similar considerations arise under Ontario's own family legislation. The point: this isn't a side issue — it's built into how parenting is decided.
Coercive control, not just incidents
Coercive control is a pattern — isolation, monitoring, financial control, intimidation, and threats — that limits a person's freedom and safety over time. Courts look at the pattern and its effect, including on the children and on the other parent's ability to parent. A single event tells little; the pattern tells the story.
How this connects to the civil tort
Parenting decisions are separate from suing for damages. But the two intersect: in 2026 the Supreme Court of Canada also recognized a civil tort of intimate partner violence based on coercive control. Whether the issue is parenting or a damages claim, the foundation is the same — evidence of a pattern, documented over time.
Why a clear, factual record matters
Because coercive control is proven by pattern and context, the everyday detail is what counts: dates, what was said or restricted, and how events connected. A calm, factual record — facts, not labels — is far more persuasive than general statements, and it's something you can build safely over time.
How SteadCase helps
SteadCase gives you a private place to keep that record: log incidents as dated facts in the Case Log, capture the day-to-day in the Daily Journal, and link each to the evidence that supports it. For how to do this with safety in mind, see documenting family violence safely for court.
This is general educational information, not legal advice, and family violence is a sensitive, fact-specific area. Please prioritize your safety and speak with a lawyer about your situation.