RECOGNISE
The first step is often the hardest —and the most powerful.
Many people who experience economic abuse don’t recognise it as abuse for a long time. They often think that someone else is “taking care of everything”, because they are told they are not good with money. Over time, your self-esteem and confidence are driven into the ground. Each layer of control is gently and silently stripped away, leaving you most 100% dependent on another person. Every attempt you make to regain control is futile and before you know it, you feel like you’re in a hole you cant get out of.
The first step towards change, is recognising that this is where you are.
Recognising what has happened — naming it — is the beginning of everything else.
Economic abuse can include:
Controlling or restricting your access to money, bank accounts or income
Preventing you from working, studying, or building financial independence
Spending your money without permission, or forcing you to hand it over
Running up debts in your name - credit cards, loans, overdrafts -without your full and genuine consent
Sabotaging your employment: interfering with your job, making you late, causing problems with colleagues, saying you cant work with certain people.
Using money as a threat, reward or punishment
Hiding assets, income or financial information from you
Leaving you with responsibility for all household bills while controlling all income
Continuing financial control after you have separated through child maintenance, shared debts, or legal proceedings.
Who can help you right now.
If you are unsure whether what you have experienced is economic abuse, the Surviving Economic Abuse self-assessment guide is free and confidential:
Surviving Economic Abuse Helpline: 0808 196 8845, specialist advice for economic abuse
National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247 - free, 24/7
You can also speak to your GP, a trusted friend, your IDVA (Independent Domestic Violence Adviser), or your bank.