Understanding the nature of economic abuse: A National study on service provider insights in Canada
Economic abuse is an understudied and underserved form of intimate partner violence (IPV). Currently, there is a lack of knowledge on the prevalence, nature and characteristics of how economic abuse is experienced in Canada. This is the first-ever National research study on Economic Abuse in Canada. This research study has three lines of inquiry: social service providers (n=292), financial institutions (n=76) and victim-survivors (n=80). CCFWE conducted three online surveys soliciting perceptions about economic abuse (prevalence), services (access, barriers & needs) and understanding the challenges they encounter in their work. The second element of this study was interviewing 19 social service staff.
This study was funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada
Keywords: economic abuse, financial abuse, intimate partner violence, domestic abuse, social services, financial institutions, victims of abuse
Preferred Citation: Snow, Natalie; Chandrarajan Shahzad, Niha; Raza, Zainab; Rukh Hussain, Abhar; Savard, Charles; Guan, Karen; Myers, Michaela. “Understanding the nature of economic abuse: A national study on service provider insights in Canada”. The Canadian Centre for Women’s Empowerment. (Nov 15, 2022).
Key highlights of the study:
Social Services Providers
- 63% do not have specific training for staff to assist clients experiencing abuse
- 44% disagreed that their organization’s current training is effective in helping them aid clients experiencing economic abuse.
- 79% of social service providers stated their clients often stay in abusive relationships due to the lack of housing accessibility in the area
- 52% reported an increase in incidents of Economic Abuse after COVID-19 lockdowns began.
- 58% of participants’ clients reported concerns about housing; 48% of clients reported concerns about their phone and internet bills, and transportation.
Financial Sector Staff
- Less than 30% of financial institution staff were trained on how to recognize financial abuse in victims of intimate partner violence.
- 67% said they would not be able to recognize Economic Abuse characteristics if a client presented them.
- 65% said they have not received training on how to recognize Economic Abuse
- 52% of staff would like to receive training on the assessment and treatment of intimate partner violence and economic abuse.
Victims and Survivors
- 20% of participants’ partners controls access to money, like access to their bank account or give them an allowance
- 49% of respondents’ abusers interfere or control their money, i.e., salary, child maintenance, welfare benefits
- 41% of victims disagreed that their financial institution was protective of their safety, privacy and security
- 35% of victims disagreed or strongly disagreed that their financial institution was able to direct them to outside services to help economic abuse.
INTERACTIVE DASHBOARDS:
Below you will find interactive dashboards that showcase the results from our study. Please click on each question to see the results.
SURVEYORS DEMOGRAPHICS CHARATERISTICS
Seeking support from your organizations
Have you sought any support in relation to your partner from any of the following
- Women's shelters or women organizations - Domestic and/or economic abuse
- Homeless shelters
- Financial Institutions (Banks, Credit unions) - Money or debt advice
- Lawyers - Legal advice, or criminal justice issues relating to the current/ex-partner
- Housing Associations or CMHC - Privately owned housing;
Rented housing (including privately rented or local/housing association) - Provincial / Federal Government/ Local Government - Welfare benefits
- Daycares - Child maintenance
- Counsellors, Family Doctors - Mental health or psychological support
- Hospitals or clinics
- Band or Council
Things some men do to hurt their partners financially
How frequently your partner has done any of the following since your relationship ended:
- Keep you from having the money you needed
to buy food, clothes, or other necessities. - Hide money so that you could not find it.
- Gamble with your money or your shared money
- Have you asked your family or friends for money
but not let them pay them back. - Convince you to lend him money but not pay it back.
- Keep you from having access to your bank accounts
- Keep financial information from you.
- Force you to give him money or let him use your
checkbook, ATM card, or credit card - Steal your property
- Do things to keep you from having money of your own
- Take your paycheck, financial aid check, tax refund check,
disability payment, or other support payments from you. - Decide how you could spend money rather than
letting you spend it how you saw fit. - Demand to know how money was spent.
- Demand that you give him receipts and/or
change when you spent money. - Steal the car keys or take the car so you couldn't
go look for a job or go to a job interview
Financial Institution Helpfulness
Please rate on the scale how much you agree or disagree with the following statements: My financial institution………”
