Money can be a tricky conversation for any couple, but where economic abuse is at play, it can even be life-threatening. According to the charity Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA), one in six women in the UK has experienced economic abuse by a current or former partner, and in 95% of cases of domestic abuse, it’s involved.
“Economic abuse is when a partner or ex-partner controls your money, but also your economic resources, so that can be your housing, whether you can access transport, a mobile phone, all the way down to basic essentials like food and clothing,” explains Sara D’Arcy, head of external affairs at SEA. Economic abuse has been criminalised under the coercive controlling behaviour offence, so can be prosecuted.
