Economic Harm Explained
Economic harm is behaviour towards a person that controls, restricts or removes their access to money, economic resources or participation in financial decisions. Economic harm,
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Economic harm doesn’t leave visible marks. Like other forms of family violence, it can be subtle – beginning with the smallest breach of trust and building over time.
Economic harm can happen to anyone. It is experienced in the context of power and control within a relationship.
The impact can be devastating and can affect financial wellbeing long after the relationship is over.
Explore our resources that are designed to build understanding and support people to address economic harm in their own lives.
Economic Harm
Economic harm doesn’t leave visible marks. Like other forms of family violence, it can be subtle – beginning with the smallest breach of trust and building over time.
Economic harm, sometimes called economic abuse, can happen to anyone. It is experienced in the context of power and control within a relationship.
The impact can be devastating and can affect financial wellbeing long after the relationship is over.
Explore our resources that are designed to build understanding and support people to address economic harm in their own lives.
Explore economic harm
The Impact
Economic harm has both short and long term consequences. The impact is complex, and cuts across many environments, often leading to years of debilitating economic
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Your Banking
Understanding your banking and what economic harm support is available can help you work through challenging life events including economic harm. The first place to
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Support for Employers
Family violence, including economic harm, has a significant impact on employee wellbeing and costs New Zealand employers over $350 million dollars annually. Trends overseas suggest
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More useful information
Healthy Financial Relationships
Money for many Kiwis is a ‘taboo’ subject that is well known to cause relationship
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Research: Economic Abuse in New Zealand
Research: Economic Abuse in New Zealand Research: Economic Abuse in New Zealand Our 2018 research
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How to recognise economic harm
Economic harm doesn’t leave visible marks. Like other forms of violence, it can be subtle
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Economic harm vs economic abuse
What comes to mind when you think about the word abuse? Is it a word that you
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Webinar: Understanding Economic Harm in Aotearoa
Economic harm is a form of family violence that can happen to anyone and a
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What is sexually transmitted debt (STD)?
Like other forms of STDs, sexually transmitted debt is something you can catch from your
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New Zealand Family Violence and Economic Harm Statistics
New Zealand is ranked as the worst developed country in the OECD for family violence.
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Demystifying economic harm
Gain a better understanding of economic harm, while we unpack some of the common misconceptions
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Real life stories
Be a proper girlfriend
Lara’s relationship, like many, started out healthy – but over time things started to change
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I had to stand up for myself
It’s taken Holly two years and a lot of inner strength to be able to
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I thought I was bad with money
Paige didn’t realise the severity of the harm she was experiencing until she started to
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Perspective: experiencing economic harm
Economic harm can be invisible and the controlling behaviours that inflict this harm often feel
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Downloadable resources
Finding support
Our Financial Wellbeing Coach – Economic Harm can provide support with the financial challenges of family violence. Our coach has experience in financial capability and advocacy, and working with those who have experienced family violence/economic harm.
Please call 0800 466 370 and ask to speak to our Financial Wellbeing Coach – Economic Harm.
You can also contact our Financial Wellbeing Coach by completing our online form.
If you suspect economic harm is occurring, other forms of family violence may also be present. Family violence agencies are best placed to work with you to establish whether other forms of abuse are occurring in your relationship and we would encourage you to call one of the agencies listed below.
It is important to take some form of action to stop or address economic harm, but only when it is safe to do so.
If your safety is at immediate risk, please ring the New Zealand Police – 111
Family Violence Support
Women’s Refuge New Zealand – 0800 733 843 (crisis line)
Shine – 0508 774 633 (9am-11pm every day)
Aviva (Christchurch) – 0800 28482 669
Shakti – 0800 742 584 (24 hours)
Are you ok? – 0800 456 450
Family violence Information Line – 0800 456 450 (9am-11pm every day)
Gandhi Nivas – (Auckland) 0800 426 344 Support for men
Men’s Health – Support for Men
He Waka Tapu – 0800 Hey Bro (439 279) for support to stop using violence
Legal Support
Your local family violence specialist support providers are likely to be able to recommend a good lawyer for you who can do legal aid.
You can also call one of the national helplines on the previous tab for information about your local specialist services.
Citizens Advice Bureau – Phone 0800 367 222
Youth Law – (under 25years old) – Phone 0800 884 529
Financial Support
Work and Income – 0800 456 450 (specific support for violent relationships)
Money talks – 0800 345 123 or text 4029 or live chat available on website
Sorted– your independent money guide
Good Shepherd NZ – No interest and low interest loans
Rainbow Support
Although these services are not specific to family violence, and economic harm, you may want to speak with someone who can provide additional relationship support or point you in the right direction for specialist support.
Police – Diversity liaison offers to provide liaison between Police and gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex (GLBTI) communities – click here to find out more
Gay and Lesbian Helpline Wellington – 04 473 7878 or visit the website
The I’m Local Project – has a region-by-region directory of LGBTIQ groups and organisations around Aotearoa – click here to find more
OUTLine – 0800 OUTLINE (688 5463) or visit the website
Did you find this useful?
We are a not-for-profit organisation working to improve the financial and social wellbeing of New Zealanders.
The resources on this website are provided free of charge to make sure they are available for people who need them.
If your organisation found these resources helpful, please consider making a donation to ensure we can continue supporting those people who need our help.
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