Resources: Financial abuse in intimate partner relationships

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.

RLC previously presented on this topic in 2018. These updated webinars include substantial new content and case studies derived from RLC’s new state-wide 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 webinar is applicable Australia-wide. The information was correct on 1 July 2020. Note: The webinars do not focus on elder abuse.

Presenter: Jasmine Opdam, Solicitor, Redfern Legal Centre’s Financial Abuse Service NSW.

Powerpoint files and links: Download the Powerpoint files for these webinars at the bottom of this page, and all links referred to are listed below.

Webinar video recordings

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.