Economic Abuse Claims a Life Every Three Weeks, New Data Shows
New analysis of domestic abuse-related deaths has revealed that at least one victim of economic abuse dies every three weeks at the hands of a current or former partner. The stark findings from Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA) should serve as a wake-up call that this insidious form of abuse is far more than just a financial problem.
Disturbing Statistics from Domestic Homicide Reviews
SEA's examination of more than 400 formal reviews of deaths across England and Wales found that 51% showed evidence of economic abuse by a current or former partner. The majority of victims were female, with perpetrators predominantly male. Economic abuse featured far more prominently in suicide cases, highlighting the severe impact this form of coercive control has on victims' mental health.
Sam Smethers, chief executive of SEA, stated: 'This report should be a wake-up call. Economic abuse is not just a money problem – it is central to coercive control, and it kills. Every three weeks, a victim dies because of an abuser who uses economic abuse as a tool for control. But the true toll is likely to be much higher.'
The Human Cost Behind the Numbers
'These are not just statistics,' Smethers continued. 'Every year, we hear the names of women killed by men read out in parliament by minister Jess Phillips through the work of the Counting Dead Women project. Some women are killed directly by abusers; others die by suicide, often linked to the perpetrators' ongoing economic abuse and feeling there is no way out. The evidence is clear: economic abuse is a serious risk factor for homicide and suicide.'
The comprehensive SEA report, spanning nearly 50 pages, outlines the various methods perpetrators use to exert economic control over their victims. These include:
- Controlling a woman's finances completely
- Forcing victims to engage in sex with strangers for money
- Limiting their ability to work and achieve economic independence
- Burdening victims with all household costs
- Freezing bank accounts
- Abusing the legal system to maintain control
Recognizing the Signs of Economic Abuse
Frank Mullane, CEO of Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse (AAFDA), explained how easily economic abuse can be overlooked: 'More than 20 years ago, my own sister experienced this form of abuse, but we did not have the language to name it, nor a shared understanding of its impact. As someone bereaved by double domestic murder, and as a former assessor of domestic homicide reviews, I have seen how easily economic abuse can be missed – and how agencies can, inadvertently, allow it to continue.'
Mullane noted that economic abuse can initially appear as helpful behavior, making its escalation particularly insidious. 'It can look like partners collaborating by dividing up tasks, as in you cook the food, I'll handle the money. Victims may not see it as abuse as some still perceive abuse as being physical violence – perhaps the older generation may be vulnerable because of their upbringing emphasising traditional roles of men managing money.'
He emphasized how economic abuse, when combined with other forms of coercive control like degradation and humiliation, can cause victims to doubt their own perceptions and feel deep shame, making them more vulnerable to escalating abuse.
The Deadly Consequences of Financial Control
Economic abuse dramatically increases the risk of homicide or suicide by making it incredibly difficult for victims to leave dangerous relationships. Without financial resources, victims cannot envision a safe future beyond their current situation.
Mullane elaborated: 'The victim may have been prevented from acquiring skills which would help them earn money. If they were forced to take out loans which were defaulted on, their credit rating may deprive them of access to cash. The combined effects of having no cash and no way of acquiring it can heighten the risk of suicide as some victims may feel a deep sense of hopelessness. It can also increase the risk of homicide as victims are forced to stay with dangerous abusers whose violations escalate to committing murder.'
Growing Scale and Complexity of Economic Abuse
Francesca Ferrier, Senior Economic Empowerment Partnership Manager at Refuge, highlighted the widespread nature of the problem: 'One in four women will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime, and cases of economic abuse are continuing to grow in both scale and complexity. A previous study by Refuge and The Co-operative Bank found that nearly two in five UK adults (39%) – approximately 20 million people – have experienced economically abusive behavior in a current or former relationship.'
'Despite being less well understood than other forms of abuse,' Ferrier continued, 'the latest figures from Surviving Economic Abuse confirm its devastating consequences. Economic abuse is not just a financial threat – it's a means of exerting control. By restricting access to money and resources, perpetrators can isolate victims and survivors, limiting their ability to escape.'
She stressed that economic abuse typically occurs alongside other forms of abuse, following the same patterns of coercive control that are recognized as key risk factors for domestic homicide and suicide.
Urgent Recommendations for Change
The SEA report makes several critical recommendations to address this growing crisis:
- Integrating economic abuse into the government's new guidance on best practice for domestic abuse risk management and multi-agency working
- Training frontline police officers on incorporating economic abuse within the assessment and management of violence against women and girls (VAWG) risk
- Developing Home Office guidance on how non-traditional stakeholders, including the financial services sector, should engage with Domestic Homicide Reviews
Smethers emphasized the urgency: 'We cannot wait for another woman's life to be lost. With the Government committed to halving violence against women and girls within a decade, all agencies must act urgently to identify economic abuse early, effectively support victims, and close the gaps that allow perpetrators to exploit their systems. Only through coordinated and consistent action can we protect survivors and prevent further lives from being stolen.'
Mullane added his perspective: 'Ignorance allows abuse to flourish, and I hope professionals will use the recommendations to ensure increased recognition of economic abuse and better practice. The call for Home Office guidance so that non-traditional stakeholders, including financial institutions, can engage with Domestic Homicide Reviews, is particularly crucial.'
Reflecting on the report's potential impact, Mullane concluded: 'I wonder what my late sister and nephew and other victims of fatal domestic abuse would think of this report. My hope is that it marks a turning point, that professionals recognize the huge and ruinous impact of economic abuse and take action to protect survivors and save lives.'
