Financial and economic abuse are big ways in which coercive control can be exercised by domestic abusers. Let’s have a look at how this works, how to spot the signs, and how to get help.
The Breadth of Domestic Abuse
Domestic abuse isn’t confined to physical violence and can manifest itself in a variety of ways. The abuse may be:
- Sexual
- Emotional
- Financial/economic
- Physical
- Psychological
What is Financial Abuse?
Financial abuse may involve, but is not restricted to:
- Controlling finances
- Coercing someone into debt
- Restricting access to money
- Putting contractual obligations in their partner’s name
- Using money in a way that limits and controls their partner’s actions and freedom
Perpetrators tend to use other forms of abusive behaviour in order to reinforce financial abuse.
The Covid Lockdowns created many more opportunities for perpetrators to inflict financial and economic abuse. Women’s Aid April 2020 survey saw almost 1/3 of respondents report that their partner blamed them for the economic impact the pandemic had on their household.
What is Economic Abuse?
Economic abuse is a broader form of financial abuse. It includes all of the things just mentioned but can also include:
- Restricting access to essential resources like food, clothing and transport
- Denying the victim the ability to improve their economic status, such as by not letting them further their education or enter employment
Economic abuse reinforces economic instability by restricting the victim’s access to economic resources.
What can Employers do?
Despite financial and economic abuse being recognised by law as a form of domestic abuse, few employers currently have policies to address it.
To make your workspace a safer space as an employer, you could ensure that managers and HR professionals receive training to spot signs of domestic abuse. Employees suffering from abuse may find it difficult to seek help so it’s important to enquire if you don’t think something is quite right… give them the opportunity to have a voice.
You can also establish a domestic abuse policy which tells employees what they can expect from their employer if they were to disclose domestic abuse to them. Click here for a model workplace agreement on domestic abuse.
The Employer’s Initiative on Domestic Abuse support over 1000 employers to take action on domestic abuse. Their network is free to use and they help raise awareness of domestic abuse, offer tools for employers to take effective action against domestic abuse, and share ideas so that employers can learn from each other in how to support their employees.
Spotting the Signs
Around 1/5 of women and 1/7 men suffer financial abuse. These numbers are shockingly high and yet only 2/5 of those experiencing financial abuse recognise it from the onset of the relationship.
Here are some of the signs to pay attention to in order to tell if you or someone you know may be suffering from financial or economic abuse:
- Forcing you to get credit in your name
- Making you hand over control of your accounts, even if this is by changing your login details
- Takes your money but doesn’t spend it on what you both agreed upon and spends it on something else
- Asking for receipts as proof of what you’ve been spending
- Telling you what you can and cannot spend
- Pressures you to do financial things you aren’t comfortable with, such as changing your will or insurance policy
- Unusual purchases in bank statements
Getting Help
If you are in immediate danger or suspect someone you know is, you must ring 999 immediately.
You can also ring the following free helplines:
- The Financial Support Line: 08081968845
- ManKind Initiative: 01823334244
- Women’s Aid 24-Hour Domestic Abuse Helpline: 08082000247