As part of a continuing series of discussions on KCLR Live around the subject of domestic abuse, for May we look at the subject of Financial Domestic Abuse as part of the national awareness campaign, ‘What Would You Do?‘.
Listen: Financial abuse on KCLR Live
What is financial domestic abuse?
It is a sad truth that when people think of domestic abuse, the first thing that comes to mind for many people is ‘Why don’t they just leave?’. Research, both domestic and internationally, has shown us that many domestic abuse victims stay in abusive relationships because they feel they do not have the financial resources to break free. Having no money and no means to pay for a roof over your own or your child’s head can be a terrifying prospect.
Financial abuse is a form of domestic abuse in which money and access to finances are used by an abuser to exert power and control over their partner. It can take many different forms but all are aimed at limiting and controlling a partner’s current and future actions and freedom of choice. In 2015, Women’s Aid in Ireland had over 1,600 disclosures of Financial Abuse. In a recently published Irish survey commissioned by the National Safeguarding Committee looking at the abuse of vulnerable people, 16 per cent of respondents reported knowing of some vulnerable person (either themselves or someone close to them) who has experienced financial abuse.
The most common type of financial domestic abuse occurs when the abuser does not allow their partner access to money. Victims often have no income, access to bank accounts, or credit cards. 71% of respondents, in research on victims of financial abuse, reported that they went without basic essentials because they did not have enough money to buy them. 41% reported having to use their children’s birthday money or savings.
Contrary to what people may think, financial domestic abuse is not restricted to people who have no income in their own name. Survivors of financial domestic abuse come from all socio-economic backgrounds and can have all sorts of careers. In the research on Women’s experience of financial abuse and Universal Credit, a third of respondents said that their abusive partner directly took their wages from them. Others were made account for every penny they spent with receipts or even account for every mile driven by car.
Financial domestic abuse is often more than just controlling access to money. It frequently includes elements of exploitation where the abuser will put their spending first. The abuser may be feeding an addiction, leaving their partner and children without money for basic needs such as food and heat. Victims report instances where documentation is forged in order to run up debt in their name, effecting their credit rating. Some are forced by their partner to commit crimes such as welfare fraud, which further inhibits their perceived ability to reach out for help.
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