Child support used as ‘tool of violence’ for economic abuse of women in Australia, report finds

About eight out of 10 women report the deliberate withholding or non-payment of child support, a report by Women’s Legal Services Australia says. Photograph: kieferpix/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Child support has become a “tool of violence” used to economically abuse women in Australia, new research has found.

Those paying child support are overwhelmingly men and some are coercing and controlling payees – mostly women – through avoiding payment.