COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA) – A bill in the state house would amend South Carolina law to create a new criminal offense, known as “coercive control,” while also broadening who qualifies as a household member under domestic violence statutes.
Under current law, domestic violence charges generally require physical injury, an attempted injury, or a threat of physical harm between household members. Household members are defined largely as spouses, people who live together, or those who share a child.
Nonphysical abuse, such as emotional manipulation or isolation, is not a standalone criminal offense…