Charity worried as figure reveal more young women experiencing economic abuse
Surviving Economic Abuse says more than one in three 16 to 24 year old women and girls have had their finances controlled by a partner in the last year
A charity supporting survivors of domestic abuse in the South West says it's alarmed by new figures that reveal more young girls and women are experiencing economic abuse.
Economic abuse is where someone controls a partners access to money or financial resources, in a bid to remove their independence or sense of security. It can also be done with the intention to track or monitor their spending.
Research by charity Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA) shows roughly one in three (36%) girls and young women aged 16 to 24 experienced economic abuse from a current or former partner at some point during the 12 months to March.
The charity said half (50%) of those who had experienced it reported a negative impact on their mental health, such as depression or panic attacks.
Ellie Gait, who is from Wiltshire-based FearFree, which also runs an Interpersonal Trauma Response service in Devon allowing support to be accessed via GP's, says it may look like control of bank accounts, but it can go further than that.
"The person might be forced into debt or be stopped from working and earning money. We also know that even everyday things like loyalty cards or subscriptions to things like Netflix can be used to track someone's spending or activity to try to maintain that control over the victim."
She told us that the rising number of young women experiencing economic abuse is "worrying".
"Young women should be able to build their independence and financial security free from coercion or control. So any increase highlights the need for greater awareness. We need earlier intervention and more support to help people recognise economic abuse and seek help as soon as possible."
Impacts that can last "years"
Economic abuse can have both short and long term impacts and they can be significant.
Ellie said that short-term, it can leave a person feeling trapped if they're unable to meet basic needs by buying food or toiletries.
She said the longer-term impacts can be vast: "Over time, we might see that economic abuse can damage someone's credit. It could limit their career or housing opportunities. It can affect their confidence, their well-being and their financial security for potentially years to come."
Her call is for people to reach out when they can or feel ready to do so.
"We want people to know that if you are experiencing economic abuse of any kind, there is support available to you. FearFree is here to provide you with compassionate and practical support throughout your journey," she said.
Ellie told us they will help people understand what support is available to them and safely regain control of their finances, which is done alongside other organisations and trusted professionals such as GP's.
She said: "You do not have to face this alone. When you feel ready to reach out, there are people ready to listen and support you every step of the way, and FearFree is there to provide compassionate, practical support throughout your journey."
If you’re affected by issues raised in this article, there is help available from FearFree via their website.
Further help can be found here:
· The National Domestic Abuse Helpline is 0808 2000 247 (run by Refuge)
· The Men’s Advice Line, for male domestic abuse survivors is 0808 801 0327 (run by Respect)
· The National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline is 0800 999 5428 (run by Galop)
If you are in immediate danger always call 999.