May 20, 2026
States Move to Criminalize Psychological Abuse in Domestic Violence Cases, But Not Florida
By Frank Stanfield
States Move to Criminalize Psychological Abuse in Domestic Violence Cases, But Not Florida
Editor’s note: Frank Stanfield is the author of “Murder in the Graveyard, a Family Cult Tragedy, highlighting allegations of physical and mental abuse in the Ian Anselmo case.
Some states are adding another tool in their battle against domestic violence, making psychological intimidation illegal.
“So-called ‘coercive control laws’ target offenders who intentionally aim to control partners or family members through fear, intimidation, surveillance, gaslighting and other non-physically abusive behavior,” according to an article in USA Today last month.
California, Connecticut, Colorado, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Vermont have bolstered their laws. Legislation is pending in New York and Maryland, acording to the article.
Florida Statute 741.28 defines domestic violence as “… any assault, aggravated assault, battery, aggravated battery, sexual assault, sexual battery, stalking, kidnapping, false imprisonment, or any criminal offense resulting in physical injury or death of one family or household member by another family or household member.”
Bill Gladson, the state attorney for the 5th Judicial District, which includes Lake and Sumter counties, says he is not aware of any potential change in Florida. Nor would he speculate on what impact it might have.
Allegations of psychological warfare do surface sometimes.
Ian Anselmo, who was convicted in 2024 of strangling his pregnant stepmother, Sue-Ellen, in Eustis, allegedly grew up in a family marred by psychological and physical abuse at the hands of his father, John. It was so severe it resulted in an insanity plea at trial.
The tragedy turned into a counseling mission for Sue-Ellen’s mother, Cindy Miller.
“Over the past five years, I have had more people let me know that Sue-Ellen’s story had given them the courage to leave a potentially dangerous situation,” she said during her victim-impact statement to the court. “One of them had a stepson that she was in fear of. She said she was praying about what to do and God put Sue-Ellen on her mind. She left her husband soon after that.”
“It’s a huge problem,” Gladson says of domestic violence. “Of the types of crimes, especially misdemeanors, that and DUI is the greatest potential for injury and death.”
Besides stalking there are laws against making harassing phone calls, and it is a felon to put a tracking device on a car, he said.
“You’d be surprised how many times people threaten to harm or kill a pet,” he said. There are laws against animal abuse, too.
Victims can apply for a restraining order with the clerk of court, and there are shelters for women and children.
The most dangerous time is when a woman leaves the household.
The FBI’s “Domestic Relationships and Violent Crimes report” cited an increase of more than 11,000 murders and 1.1 million victims from 2020-2024.
Nearly 75 percent of the victims were female.
The Haven of Lake and Sumter counties offers shelter and other services. The hotline number is 352-753-5800.
Frank Stanfield has been a journalist for more than 40 years, including as an editor and reporter for the Daily Commercial, Orlando Sentinel and Ocala Star-Banner. He has written three books, “Unbroken: The Dorothy Lewis Story,” “Vampires, Gators and Wackos, A Florida Newspaperman’s Story,” and “Cold Blooded, A True Crime Story of a Murderous Teenage Cult.” He has appeared on numerous national and international broadcasts, including Discovery ID, Oxygen and Court TV. He maintains a blog at frankestanfield.com. Stanfield graduated with a political science degree from the University of North Florida and a master’s in journalism at the University of Georgia.
