Urgent calls for government to recognise economic harm as separate form of violence

March 31, 2023

**For mother-of-two Paige*, the bathroom was a place of refuge from her financially and emotionally abusive partner.**

“He was a drug addict, and he was very selfish…in the whole 17 years that we were together, he only had two jobs which meant that I always had to be the one who earned the money.”

With overdue bills piling up, Paige desperately took out payday loans to try and make ends meet.

She also felt forced to financially support her partner’s drug habit to reduce some of his temper and violent behaviour.

By the time that Paige had ended the relationship, she was $30,000 in debt and her rent was in arrears.

In November 2021, Good Shepherd launched their Economic Harm Support Service to specifically support people who have been affected by financial abuse. However, this service came too late for Paige.

Now the financial wellbeing organisation is urgently calling for the Government to change the law to have economic harm recognised as a standalone form of violence.

For mother-of-two Paige*, the bathroom was a place of refuge from her financially and emotionally abusive partner.