Today, we are launching a new movement called ‘This is Violence’ to raise awareness of economic abuse and to push for systemic reform to prevent and respond to economic abuse in a way that better supports victim-survivors. We are calling on Ministers, Members of Parliament, and Government officials to better recognise financial control, ruined credit, withheld payments and coerced loans and debt as forms of family violence. Government needs to improve our laws and systems that trap victim-survivors and perpetuate the harm caused by these forms of family violence.

“We need to stop treating economic abuse like a hardship or budgeting problem, and instead recognise it as a long-term driver of inequality, hardship, and intergenerational harm in Aotearoa.” says Tania Pouwhare, Chief Executive, Good Shepherd New Zealand.

Policy recommendations have been developed in close partnership with the National Collective of Independent Women’s Refuges, and are endorsed by around 80 other organisations from across the family violence, financial, and gender equity sectors. Cross-sectoral support for these changes is essential, because economic abuse intersects a number of different services, systems, and regulatory environments.

Economic abuse is a form of family violence that uses coercive, controlling, and threatening behaviour to restrict or remove a person’s financial freedom, autonomy, and security. Research shows that 15% of ever-partnered women have experienced economic abuse.

Despite the prevalence of economic abuse, it is rarely recognised and responded to as a form of family violence. Yet the impact can be devastating. Without access to money, victim-survivors lack resources to escape violent partners and remain independent.

“For many victim-survivors, the choice to leave an abusive partner is constrained by financial issues caused by family violence. If they do leave, these issues continue to constrain their choices and safety while they try to find safe housing, put in place legal orders, get access to essentials like food, meet healthcare needs, get access to emergency benefits or maintain employment, and more.” says Shaun Greaves, CEO, Presbyterian Support Northern & Shine.

We estimate it costs around $10,000 to separate from an abusive partner. Even if they can escape, when faced with the threat of poverty, women may choose to stay. When victim-survivors are able to leave, many are forced to carry coerced debt, ruined credit and financial harm long after the relationship ends. This is violence.

Visit our website at thisisviolence.co.nz