Financial abuse of women a hidden form of family violence, inquiry hears

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Royal commission into family violence (Victoria)

Financial abuse of women a hidden form of family violence, inquiry hears

Men who believe it is their ‘God-given right’ to control women and their finances perpetuate another form of family violence, royal commission hears


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Victims are left with no money to support themselves or find accommodation, and homelessness and poverty often carried into old age. Photograph: Erica Shires/Corbis


An attitude among some men that they have a “God-given right” to control women and their money was contributing to financial abuse, making access to family violence entitlements in the workplace critical, the royal commission into family violence has heard.

Financial abuse was the focus of the commission’s public hearings on Thursday, with a number of experts from support, legal and crisis services for women and the elderly.
Family violence victims can't always trust those meant to protect them, inquiry told


Julie Kun, the deputy chief executive of the women’s information and referral exchange in Victoria, said financial abuse was under-recognised as a form of family violence in which predominantly female victims were cut off from sources of money by their partner as a form of control.

This happened in a number of ways, the commission heard. Victims may be forced to hand over their pay cheques to their partner; may not be given access to bank statements and other financial documents; may have money withheld or be forced to leave their job so that they are financially reliant; be coerced into signing bank loans and other financial documents; may lose their job because of the stress of family violence affecting their performance.

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http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/jul/16/financial-abuse-of-women-a-hidden-form-of-family-violence-inquiry-hears