Domestic violence charity Women’s Aid has released new figures highlighting the high incidence of financial abuse suffered by domestic violence victims.
Financial abuse can result in unmanageable levels of debt and other financial problems for women and limit her ability to flee from a violent relationship, says Women’s Aid.
In a recent survey of women in refuges and women using non-refuge domestic violence services, the charity found that:
- 57.4% of women in refuges and 49.7% of women using non-refuge services had experienced financial abuse,
- 34.8% of women in refuges and 38.5% of women using non-refuge services has experienced sexual abuse,
- 46.2% of women in refuges had spent between two and 10 years in the abusive relationship, with 17% of women enduring a violent relationship for more than 10 years, and
- 40.9% of women using non-refuge services had spent between two and 10 years in the abusive relationship, with 24.1% enduring a violent relationship for more than 10 years.
“Domestic violence is characterised by perpetrators using all available means to exert control over their partner,” explained Polly Neate, Chief Executive of Women’s Aid. “Non-physical forms of domestic violence, such as financial and emotional abuse can be part of this ongoing tyranny of abusive and controlling behaviour and in most cases women experience years of different kinds of abuse before they feel able to seek help.”
“It’s therefore essential that the Government act to minimise the risks of financial abuse when introducing Universal Credit, and that banks and other financial institutions are able to prevent potentially abusive applications for financial products,” she added.
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