BBC News
Digital
Abuse campaigner sees late-plea changes debated
BBC South's political editor reports on the Westminster Hall debate prompted by Paris's petition, which was signed more than 107,000 times.
Official website
PARIS
SHEARS
Survivor Advocate, Campaigner, Founder of Paris's Law
Paris Shears is a British survivor advocate and campaigner who speaks publicly about coercive control, domestic abuse and survivors' experience of the criminal justice system. Her petition, Paris's Law, gathered more than 107,000 signatures and was debated in Parliament in October 2026.
As featured in
- Hidden In Plain Sight
- BBC News
- Daily Echo
- Crime Analyst
- The Telegraph
- Metro
- The Sun
- LBC
Introduction
Turning lived experience into lasting change.
Paris speaks publicly, under her own name, about coercive control and what the criminal justice system asks of survivors. Her work is grounded in her own experience of that system.
Alongside Paris's Law, she has contributed to national news coverage and long-form podcasts, and works to raise awareness of coercive control — particularly among young people.
“This isn't just about me anymore. It's about recognising a pattern in the system that is affecting so many survivors.”
Featured media
Recent appearances
Selected coverage. Every entry links to the original source.
Crime Analyst
Podcast
The 530-Day Trap — with Paris Shears (Part 1)
A long-form podcast conversation about Paris's experience, the 530-day wait for trial and the impact of late guilty pleas on survivors.
Content note: Includes discussion of domestic abuse and strangulation.
The Telegraph
Newspaper
Campaigning to reform domestic abuse sentencing
A long-form Telegraph feature on Paris's experience of coercive control and why she is campaigning for change to the way late guilty pleas are treated.
Content note: Contains descriptions of physical and psychological abuse.
Daily Echo
Newspaper
Paris's Law hits 100,000 signatures and will go to Parliament
As the petition passes 100,000 signatures, Paris says the total “shows just how many people feel that something isn't right”, and calls for greater awareness of coercive control among young people.
Advocacy highlights
More than one campaign
Paris's Law is one part of Paris's work. Her advocacy spans awareness, safety and survivors' experience of the justice system.
01
Recognising coercive control
Helping people — particularly young people — understand what manipulation and control can look like, so it can be named sooner.
02
Survivors and the justice system
Speaking about what the court process asks of survivors: the long wait for trial, the fear of giving evidence and the impact of last-minute changes of plea.
03
Victim safety and early release
Raising survivors' concerns about how early release policy affects the safety of victims of domestic abuse.
04
Survivor-led change
Standing alongside survivors and survivor-led organisations calling for their experience to shape the decisions that affect them.
Featured campaign
Paris's Law
A call for legislation so that defendants charged with controlling or coercive behaviour cannot receive a sentence reduction for a guilty plea entered after first pleading not guilty.
Paris Shears is the founder of Paris's Law. This is her personal website; the campaign has its own separate official website, which is the home for campaign news and updates.
- Petition signatures
- 107,159
- Debated in Westminster Hall
- 19 Oct 2026
- Days Paris waited for trial
- 530+
Press enquiries
Interviews, features and broadcast requests.
Journalists, producers and event organisers can contact Paris directly by email.