Money is a powerful tool that can be used to isolate and control. There may be no physical bruises, but the scars of financial abuse are clearly visible in a victim’s bank statement, credit report and eroded financial confidence. According to research by WIRE in 2014, among women who have sought help from domestic violence services, up to 90% have experienced financial abuse. 

In times of crisis there is evidence that family and domestic violence increases in frequency and severity. Some people may experience financial abuse for the first time and for others it may escalate. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is easier for signs of financial abuse to be disguised as financial stress, unemployment and housing insecurity. Now more than ever, frontline community services are uniquely placed to identify people who have money problems due to their experience of financial abuse.

Over 2020 and 2021 RLC is presenting a series of updated webinars with substantial new content and case studies derived from RLC’s statewide Financial Abuse Service NSW and recent experiences in light of COVID-19.

The webinars are valuable to all community workers and volunteers in services such as financial counselling, domestic violence, women's refuges and community legal centres. Some examples relate to NSW, but most of the content is applicable Australia-wide. Note: The webinars do not focus on elder abuse.

 

Webinar video recordings

Powerpoint files and links: Download the Powerpoint files for these webinars at the bottom of this page. All links referred to in webinars, plus further resources, are listed near the bottom of this page.

 

Webinar July 2020: Identifying financial abuse in intimate partner relationships, and supporting victim survivors

Using insights from RLC’s Financial Abuse Service NSW, you will learn how to identify financial abuse and how to safely support victim survivors to deal with relationship debts, including when specialist legal advice is necessary and where to find it.

 

Webinar September 2020: Resolving Financial Abuse Legal Issues

In this webinar, we share tips for investigating and resolving cases of financial abuse, gained through our experience running the Financial Abuse Service NSW. You will gain an understanding of the laws and policies that can be used to resolve credit, debt and consumer law problems that stem from financial abuse in intimate partner relationships, as well as practical strategies for negotiating with stakeholders to achieve the best outcomes for victim survivors.

 

Webinar July 2021: Resolving Financial Abuse Issues: Two Roads Diverged

Resolving financial abuse issues often involves finding creative strategies across different areas of law. In response to high levels of unmet need identified in its first 18 months of operation, RLC’s Financial Abuse Service NSW has expanded to offer advice about family law financial matters, such as property settlement, spousal maintenance and child support, in addition to advice about credit, debt and consumer issues. Panellists:

• Maria Monastiriotis, Accredited Family Law Specialist, Financial Abuse Service NSW at Redfern Legal Centre
• Jasmine Opdam, Credit, Debt & Consumer Lawyer, Financial Abuse Service NSW at Redfern Legal Centre

 

Webinar August 2021: Resolving Financial Abuse Issues: Telecommunications

Financial abuse issues are commonly identified in connection with telco services. Resolving practical issues around handsets, ongoing access to services and privacy are important to help remove barriers for victim survivors to leave abusive relationships. This webinar will cover practical strategies to negotiate with telco services. There are now a broad range of support options provided for in family and domestic violence policies – but accessing them can sometimes prove challenging.

 

About financial abuse

• What financial abuse is and how to know if you’re a victim of it (Sydney Morning Herald, 2019)
   
• What is financial abuse? (1800RESPECT)
   
• 'It was all controlled by him': How Rachael escaped financial abuse - Rachael, a client of RLC, told her story in the Sydney Morning Herald.
   
• Trapped and Strapped: The Power of Money in Love (RLC's leading work in this field)
   
• Family, domestic and sexual violence in Australia: continuing the national story (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2019)
   

• Economic abuse between intimate partners in Australia: Prevalence, health status, disability and financial stress (PDF, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 2017)

• Restoring Financial Safety: Legal Responses to Economic Abuse (PDF, Good Shepherd, 2015) 
   

• Stepping stones: Legal barriers to economic equality after family violence (PDF: Women’s Legal Service Victoria, 2015)

• Economic Abuse Reference Group

 

Resolving financial abuse issues

• RLC fact sheets on family law and financial abuse​
   
• Money problems with your partner? Dealing with financial abuse (PDF: WIRE Women’s Information and Referral Exchange)
   
• Australian Banking Association Industry Guideline: Preventing and responding to financial abuse (PDF)
   
• Australian Banking Association Industry Guideline: Preventing and responding to family and domestic violence (PDF)
   
• Australian Banking Association Banking Code of Practice
   
• AFCA Approach to Joint Facilities and Family Violence (PDF)
   
• Credit Law Toolkit (Financial Rights Legal Centre and Legal Aid NSW) 
   
• ASIC Regulatory Guide 209 Credit licensing: Responsible lending conduct 
   
• Debt collection guideline: for collectors and creditors 
   
• Commonwealth Bank: Recognise and Recover: A guide to recognising financial abuse, recovering and regaining financial control (PDF)
   
• Commonwealth Bank: Domestic and family violence assistance 
   
• NAB: Domestic and family violence support 
   
• Westpac: Domestic and family violence (PDF)
   
• ANZ: A guide to regaining financial independence 

 

Telecommunications & technology

• Telstra - Domestic and family violence assistance
   
• Vodafone - Assisting you if you’re experiencing domestic or family violence
   
• Optus - Domestic / Family Violence Assistance (PDF)
   
• Communications Alliance - Industry Guideline: Assisting customers experiencing domestic and family violence
   
• Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO): Assisting and responding to customers in financial hardship: Principles and practices – guide for telecommunications providers (PDF)
   
• Women’s Technology Safety & Privacy Toolkit, created by the Safety Net Australia Project at WESNET, is for women experiencing tech abuse to learn how they can increase their technology safety and privacy. This toolkit includes resource guides ranging from online privacy and safety tips to smartphone privacy and location safety information, and much more.

 

Domestic Violence support services

• National Sexual Assault, Domestic, Family Violence Counselling Service 1800RESPECT 1800 737 732, https://www.1800respect.org.au/

 

Financial counselling

• Financial Counselling Australia
   
• Financial Counsellors’ Association of NSW
   
• Financial Independence Hub
   
• Good Shepherd Firmer Foundations Program

 

Contacting RLC's Financial Abuse Service

More information and phone and online contact details: 

https://rlc.org.au/our-services/financial-abuse-service-nsw

 

Other sources of legal advice

• National Debt Helpline 1800 007 007 http://financialrights.org.au/about-us/national-debt-helpline
   
• Community legal centres across Australia provide free, confidential advice on a wide range of matters:
  NSW
  Outside NSW
   
• Legal Aid NSW:
  Areas of law
  Locations

 

Powerpoint presentations

Download the Powerpoint files for these webinars below.