A new law taking effect in England and Wales means that physical violence will no longer be needed in order to charge someone with abusing family members or partners.

As of now it will be considered a crime to use repeated threats, intimidation and humiliation to control someone.

“Coercive or controlling” behavior can now be considered as domestic abuse, a criminal action that can be prosecuted.

Prosecutors pointed to the fact that to many victims, the trauma they suffer from psychological abuse is worse than that caused by physical abuse.

It now means that preventing someone from socializing, keeping them under surveillance, or controlling their social media can be prosecuted as a crime.