CORONATION STREET’S harrowing coercive control storyline has gripped the country now for months.

And the most recent episode continued with more revelations about Geoff Metcalfe's cruel abuse of wife Yasmeen Nasir. 

In the the latest episode Yasmeen Nasir (played by Shelley King) was visited in prison by an ex of her husband Geoff Metcalfe (played by Ian Bartholomew), who claims she too was subjected to a campaign of manipulative abuse. 

Yasmeen is currently in prison awaiting trial for attacking Geoff, after she lashed out after he subjected her to months of abuse. 

In the latest episode, Yasmeen, who has struggled to come to terms with her abuse, is urged to read up about coercive control. 

But what is coercive control?

Domestic abuse isn’t always physical. Coercive control is an act or a pattern of acts of assault, threats, humiliation and intimidation or other abuse that is used to harm, punish, or frighten their victim, according to Women’s Aid. 

This controlling behaviour is designed to make a person dependent by isolating them from support, exploiting them, depriving them of independence and regulating their everyday behaviour.

Last year changes to the law were finally made which made psychological abuse within a relationship illegal.

The offence of coercive control now recognises that domestic abuse can take several forms and is not strictly limited to physical violence.

The changes outlaw a number of things that were not previously covered by existing laws.

Now, laws have now been enforced in England and Wales, with the amendments making the following 10 acts towards a partner illegal.

1. Sharing sexually explicit images of a partner 

New laws surrounding ‘revenge porn’ make it illegal for someone to share intimate photographs of you with anyone, online or otherwise.

2. Restricting access to finances

Even if they earn more money than you, the law says your partner cannot stop you from accessing cash within the relationship.

3. Putting you down 

Persistent name-calling, mocking and other forms of insulting behaviour are now illegal.

4. Stopping a partner from seeing friends or family 

Monitoring or blocking of calls and emails, telling you where you can or cannot go, and preventing you from seeing your friends or relatives is now against the law. IF your partner isolates you from the people you love, they could face the wrath of the law. 

5. Scaring you 

Your partner might not physically assault you, but if they are doing enough to frighten you, they are committing an offence. That could include using their size to intimidate or breaking things around the house.

6. Threatening to reveal private things about you 

Repeated threats to reveal personal and private information is now classed as a form of abuse. It could include revealling details about health or sexual orientation.

7. Putting tracking devices on your phone 

It is illegal under the new legislation to “monitor a person using online communication tools or spyware”.

8. Being extremely jealous 

Persistent accusation of cheating and “extreme jealousy, including possessiveness and ridiculous accusations of cheating” all come under the new legislation.

9. Forcing you to obey their rules 

The CPS says if a partner is forced to abide by stringent rules set by a partner, it could mean they are committing a crime.

10. Controlling what you wear 

Your partner taking control over any part of your life is highlighted in the new legislation, including restricting who you see and where you go.

Controlling what you wear or how you look could also now be grounds for prosecution under the changes.