Financial Abuse: What is it and why is it important to be knowledgeable about it

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Research indicates that financial abuse occurs in 99% of domestic violence cases-NNEDV

Financial Abuse Defined

Financial Abuse (also referred to as economic abuse) is abuse that occurs when one person utilizes finances or financial information as a means to control another. According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV), financial abuse "along with emotional, physical, and sexual abuse – includes behaviors to intentionally manipulate, intimidate, and threaten the victim in order to entrap that person in the relationship" (www.nnedv.org). In more simplistic terms, financial abuse is when someone controls how and when another person spends their money.

Is it Still Abuse if the relationship is over?

YES.  One reoccurring theme Courtney's Allies have been exposed to again and again as we have become stewards for those who have experienced domestic violence is that abuse is abuse whether the couple is together or not. There are actually some really startling statistics about abuse occurring after a relationship has ended including that "women are almost 500 times more at risk when they leave a relationship" (https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2017/01/28/most-dangerous-time-for-battered-women-is-when-they-leave-jerry-mitchell/96955552/)

What does financial abuse look like?

Financial abuse is a tough type of abuse for onlookers to identify because it lacks the outward symptoms you would see in someone who was being physically abused. But, there are some pretty hallmark signs that indicate financial abuse including, but not limited too:
  • Controlling how money is spent
  • Forbidding someone from working
  • Sabotaging employment opportunities
  • Withholding money or giving an allowance
  • Refusing to discuss financial decisions
While the presence of the above indicators does not always automatically equate to financial abuse, if one or more of these, or the other methods listed on the NNEDV website, are utilized there is a good chance financial abuse is being employed as a manipulation and control technique.

How can you help?

 One simple way you can help spread awareness about financial abuse is by downloading the hyperlinked brochure and sharing it with someone, anyone, in your life and asking them to do the same. In our last blog post, we talked about how impactful our voices can be, this is one way you can use your voice to take a stand against domestic violence.

Additional Research

 Check out the PDF below for more information about financial abuse and its prevalence

 https://centerforfinancialsecurity.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/adams2011.pdf

Sources

https://nnedv.org/content/about-financial-abuse/

https://www.purplepurse.com/the-issue/domestic-violence-financial-abuse.aspx

https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2017/01/28/most-dangerous-time-for-battered-women-is-when-they-leave-jerry-mitchell/96955552/

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