Domestic, financial and economic abuse

Financial and economic abuse can happen to anyone, no matter their age, gender, ethnicity, class, religion or disability. It’s usually carried out by a partner, family member, friend or carer who might:

• Stop you from working or getting to your job.
• Make you hand over control of your bank accounts and stop you accessing your money.
• Make you explain what you’ve spent your money on.
• Withholding money and stopping you from buying essentials.
• Take out credit cards or loans in your name.
• Spend your household budget on other things without telling you.
• Withdraw money from your account without your knowledge or permission.

Also known as domestic violence or intimate partner violence, domestic abuse is a controlling pattern of behaviour. Its aim is to gain or maintain power over someone. It can happen between partners, ex-partners, family members or carers.

This abusive behaviour can manifest in various forms:

Coercive control
This involves a pattern of intimidation, degradation, isolation, and control. And is often accompanied by threats of physical or sexual violence.

Psychological and emotional abuse
Emotional manipulation, insults, and undermining a person’s self-worth fall under this category.

Physical or sexual abuse
Inflicting harm or violating someone’s bodily autonomy.

Harassment and stalking
Persistent unwanted attention, monitoring, or following.

Online or digital abuse
Using technology to harm, control, or harass the victim.

Domestic abuse impacts the mental, emotional, physical, social, and financial wellbeing of survivors and their families. Children and young people can also be affected by witnessing or experiencing domestic abuse.

Abusive payments
The misuse of payment references to send abusive messages, often linked to essential transactions like child maintenance. Examples include:

• offensive messages or threats
• covert abuse using seemingly harmless references (e.g., a place name with traumatic meaning)
• harassment through repeated small payments.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, consider seeking professional help and support from organisations like Refuge (opens in a new window) or Women’s Aid (opens in a new window).