Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Laura Whateley

‘My partner’s crazy spending ruined me’: the ugly truth about coerced debt

Hands at computer keyboard holding bank card
Coerced debt abusers may put bills or mortgages in their partners’ name, push them into taking out loans, or steal their wages to force them to borrow. Photograph: Mark Bourdillon/Alamy

Joanna Thomas* was working for a UK government department when she received a bonus. Her earnings, as had been the case since she got married in her early 20s, went into her only bank account: a joint one shared with her now ex-husband.

The cash landed in the account in the morning. By the afternoon, her then-husband messaged to let her know he had withdrawn it all to buy a boat on eBay.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.