The Economics of IPV: Understanding Financial Control and Abuse

Did you know that intimate partner violence (IPV), or domestic violence (DV), almost always goes hand-in-hand with some form of economic abuse? According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNDEV), research indicates that financial abuse occurs in 99 percent of domestic violence cases. Even when survivors manage to break free from their abusers, they may be dealing with the fallout from the economic abuse they suffered for years to come.

Signs of Financial Abuse

There are numerous economic abuse tactics perpetrators use to undermine the independence of IPV and DV victims, from debt accumulation and control of wages to loss of employment and health insurance. Some of these tactics are overt, but others may be covert, subtle, and harder to identify, especially at first. According to NNDEV, the following are common signs of financial abuse:

• Forbidding the victim to work.

• Sabotaging work or employment opportunities by stalking or harassing the victim at the workplace or causing the victim to lose her/his job by physically battering prior to important meetings or interviews.

• Forbidding the victim from attending job training or advancement opportunities.

• Controlling how all of the money is spent.

• Not including the victim in investment or banking decisions.

• Not allowing the victim access to bank accounts.

• Withholding money or giving “an allowance.”

• Forcing the victim to write bad checks or file fraudulent tax returns.

• Running up large  amounts of debt on joint accounts.

• Refusing to work or contribute to the family income.

• Withholding funds for the victim or children to obtain basic needs such as food and medicine.

• Hiding assets.

• Stealing the victim’s identity, property, or inheritance.

• Forcing the victim to work in a family business without pay.

• Refusing to pay bills and ruining the victims’ credit score.

• Forcing the victim to turn over public benefits or threatening to turn the victim in for “cheating or misusing benefits.”

• Filing false insurance claims.

• Refusing to pay or evading child support or manipulating the divorce process by drawing it out by hiding or not disclosing assets.

What You Can Do

If you’ve been a victim of financial abuse, the situation will probably feel overwhelmingly stressful. However, according to an article by Lisa Zeiderman Esq., CFL, in Psychology Today, there are steps you can take to protect yourself and support is available. To start, don’t suffer in silence—talk to a trusted family member, friend, therapist, coach, and/or attorney about the situation.

In addition, Zeiderman urges victims to keep careful records of every economic abuse violation, as you will probably need documentation at a later date. Another helpful resources is Savvy Ladies, a non-profit that provides financial guidance to women and offers a free financial helpline, where highly experienced volunteers are available for a confidential phone calls and can advise women about their personal financial situations.

Finally, if you believe you’re being financially abused and are a victim of domestic violence, do everything you can to keep yourself and your children safe. Contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800.799.SAFE (7233). If you are in immediate danger or a life-threatening situation, please call 911.