Economic Abuse in Domestic Violence Situations

98 percent of domestic violence victims experience economic abuse. With limited resources and options, victims of abuse frequently face a double-edged sword—stay in domestic violence situations, or leave and risk facing homelessness and poverty.

From running up debt on victims’ credit cards to keeping them on a strict budget/allowance, batterers use economic—often along with physical, sexual, and emotional—abuse as another means of controlling victims and preventing them from leaving violent relationships. Moreover, abusers often restrict victims’ ability to obtain or keep a job in order to prevent them from achieving financial independence with as many as 50 percent of abuse victims reporting that they lost their job due to domestic violence, and more than 50 percent of victims reporting harassment at work.

Causing ruined credit scores, identity or property theft, legal issues, and erratic employment histories, economic abuse often continues to impact victims’ future employment, housing, and financial security even after they have left the abusive relationship. In fact, seven out of eight women who go back to the abuser after leaving a domestic violence situation return because of financial pressures they face as a result of economic abuse.

If you are in a domestic violence situation, it is important to make financial planning a part of your general safety planning. The tips below are an important first step in ensuring that victims of economic abuse protect themselves, their families, and their financial futures. Read more >