Women’s Aid in Fermanagh are seeing more and more women come to them for support with dealing with financial abuse.

Financial abuse can take many forms, and for some, this type of abuse may not be as clear-cut and obvious as other types of abuse, such as physical abuse, sexual abuse or coercive control.

Giovanna Coyle is a floating support worker with Women’s Aid, Enniskillen and has noted an increase in the number of clients reporting signs of financial abuse – a broad term for a type of abuse that can take on many forms.

Talking to this paper, Giovanna revealed that in the past number of weeks, she and other team members have noted this rise. 

She said: “Recently there has been a lot of conversation with women [about financial abuse]. When we do educative work, we always include the different types of abuse, including financial abuse, but some women do not see that as being abusive.

“I am one of a team, so everyone is having the conversation [about the rise in this abuse] to the point we brought it up at our team meeting, as women are really struggling. Others in the team had seen the same increase.”

Explaining the different forms of financial abuse encountered by those turning to Women’s Aid, Giovanna said: “Our experience of financial abuse would be perpetrators would, say, gamble savings, or they will build up debt in their partner’s name, and they could get a loan in their partner’s name as well or become a guarantor and agree to pay it, but never pay it.”

Continuing, Giovanna said: “They may take money and not use it for what it’s intended to be used for, [such as] paying maintenance or supporting the woman financially, [and instead] using it for alcohol or drugs.”

Listing another example of financial abuse, Giovanna said of abusers: “They could give her a set allowance for groceries and expect her to manage on that. It could be a small amount of money.

“Sometimes women can’t afford even to buy the basics even for their own needs, [such as] sanitary products or buying nappies for babies.”

Looking at how the ongoing cost of living crisis has affected women who are being financially abused, Giovanna sad: “What we found is there may be an allowance for the family that is very small, but as the years go on, and children get bigger, the allowance remains the same.

“At this time, what I’ve found is that such an allowance [set by the perpetrator] remains the same, even though the cost of living has increased.”

Financial abuse comes down to the core abuse element of control, believes Giovanna.

Citing examples of how shopping can be used as a means of control, and using the example of a male abusing a female partner, Giovanna said, “He will want to see the till receipts and say, ‘You were in this shop at this time, and this is what you bought, but you didn’t go to that other shop until this other time – what were you doing in between, and who did you talk to?’

“There’s a big element of micromanaging of the victim through the money.”

Many of those who are experiencing financial abuse may not own their own bank account, and could see their own money being put in a joint account and themselves being given a limited budget. This level of control is often a factor in leaving abusive relationships.

“Some women haven’t had an opportunity, or have been prevented from managing finances and budgeting. That’s a challenge for them [as they learn] how to maintain a home, if they decide to leave.

“Often, the cost of electricity, heating, and vehicle-related costs etc have all been managed by the [abuse] perpetrator.”

While speaking to The Impartial Reporter, Giovanna noted that she has seen women who have had a five-figure sum of debt in a short space accrued in their name.

“Sometimes women don’t know, and their name has been forged, and when it comes down to the law and who has to pay, the woman has to repay.

“I can recount three conversations in the last few weeks where money has been gambled, or debt built up in a women’s name, or the micromanaging of the grocery bill [is present].

“We are starting to see a lot more women are having that conversation.”

As Giovanna underscored, financial abuse is one of the key forms of abuse identified by Women’s Aid alongside emotional abuse, coercive control, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and abuse as a mother.

Direct support from Fermanagh Women’s Aid can be found via 0286 632 8898, or at https://fermanaghwomensaid.com, or @womensaid.org.uk.

You can also contact a local domestic abuse service by using Women’s Aid’s Domestic Abuse Directory (www.womensaid.org. uk/domestic-abuse- directory).