Did you know that 94-99% of domestic violence survivors,
have also experienced economic abuse?
Working with survivors of domestic violence, here at the YWCA we come across many cases where financial abuse is used on their victims as a way to gain power and control. According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence, the forms of financial abuse may be subtle or overt but in general, include tactics to conceal information, limit the victim’s access to assets, or reduce accessibility to the family finances. Financial abuse, while less commonly understood, is one of the most powerful methods of keeping a survivor trapped in an abusive relationship and deeply diminishes the victim’s ability to stay safe after leaving an abusive partner.