Today, November 26th, is Economic Abuse Day.

As technology continues to evolve, so too do the methods perpetrators use to exploit and control their victims. One of the most powerful forms of manipulation is economic abuse, where an abuser exerts control by restricting or exploiting a victim’s financial resources. This form of abuse can trap victims in dangerous relationships, leaving them without assets, financial independence, or a safe place to go.

Examples of economic abuse include:

  • Taking out credit cards or loans in the victim’s name without consent.
  • Accessing and monitoring bank accounts, scrutinising every transaction.
  • Signing the victim up for charities or services using their bank details.
  • Using the victim’s money to fund the perpetrator’s purchases.
  • Refusing to contribute to joint financial responsibilities, such as a mortgage, and preventing the sale of shared property.

Economic abuse can have long-lasting consequences, often persisting for years – even decades – after a survivor has left the abusive environment. In many cases, perpetrators continue to financially abuse their victims despite having no direct contact. This ongoing control can severely impact a survivor’s future, as debts accrued in their name can prevent them from accessing credit, securing loans, or obtaining a mortgage. 

According to BBC (2024), many survivors had signed joint mortgages with their abusers prior to the onset of the abuse, once the perpetrator left the property, their name often remained on the mortgage, this situation means survivors require the perpetrator’s consent to sell the property, also highlighting that perpetrators frequently refuse to contribute to the mortgage, leaving survivors to carry the financial burden alone—often in silence. (‘My abuser used our joint mortgage against me’ – BBC News)

A study conducted by Surviving Economic Abuse and Ipsos UK in November 2024 revealed the widespread impact of economic abuse on women across the UK. The findings showed that 2.4 million women experienced economically restrictive behaviours from their perpetrators.

 Furthermore, 940,000 women reported remaining in abusive relationships as a direct result of economic abuse, highlighting how financial control can trap victims and limit their ability to leave. In total, 4.1 million women disclosed experiencing economic abuse between 2023 and 2024. (Almost one million UK women who experienced economic abuse said the abuse prevented them from leaving an abusive partner | Ipsos)

Home Office Minister Jess Phillips has said,‘’Tackling economic abuse – a true hidden crime – will be integral to achieving our ambition of halving violence against women and girls in a decade.’’ We look forward to more progress in this area.

#16days #NoExcuse and #ACTtoEndViolence.