Hannah Robinson of Western NSW Community Legal Centre (WNSWCLC) and Tori Mines of Western Women's Legal Support (WWLS) will have their say as the Parliament considers whether to criminalise coercive control.

NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman announced in October the government would establish a parliamentary committee that will hold a public inquiry.

It came a day after a coalition of domestic violence advocates, which include the sister of murdered dentist Preethi Reddy and the family of slain mother Hannah Clarke, launched a campaign pushing for Australia to criminalise the behaviour.

Both women were killed by their former partners after they were subjected to controlling and manipulative behaviour.

Coercive control is a clinical term used to describe non-physical elements of family and domestic abuse, whereby perpetrators exert power to control, coerce and isolate another person over a prolonged period of time.

It can include psychological abuse, financial abuse, social isolation, monitoring and stalking, the denial of basic human needsor enforcing rules which humiliate, degrade or dehumanise.

Ms Robinson, policy and law reform solicitor said for many victim-survivors the long-term psychological impacts and trauma caused by coercive control were much worse than any physical injuries.

"Our clients frequently report that they would rather be hit every day of the week than be subjected to the degradation and control which they experience at the hands of their partners," she said.

"Coercive control is also a significant risk indicator of future domestic violence homicide."

WNSWCLC and WWLS were invited to give evidence on the basis of their written submission to the inquiry, which advocated for a holistic response to coercive control, including the introduction of a coercive control offence.

"Until coercive control is prohibited at law, non-physical abuse will continue to be viewed as less significant and less harmful than physical violence ... victim-survivors [must] have legal recourse against perpetrators who inflict catastrophic harm and trauma on them," the submission said.

However, both organisations cautioned against rushing a new criminal offence through Parliament.

They contested extensive community consultation, particularly of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and other diverse communities, is needed to better understand what a coercive control offence should look like.

The submission concluded: "whilst an urgent response to family and domestic abuse is needed, it must be a considered response and one that will provide meaningful change to those most in need of protection - victim-survivors. After all, we owe it to them not to make things worse."

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