Economic and financial abuse impacts every part of a survivor’s life, causing stress, anxiety, depression, and a loss of self-esteem. It often leads to poverty, housing instability, and limited career opportunities. The social impacts can include feeling isolated and becoming financially dependent on their partner/spouse. Legal and financial consequences include coerced debt and legal vulnerabilities.

This visual report outlines the social impacts of financial and economic abuse, and real-life examples of survivor experiences.

While research on financial abuse as a form of intimate partner violence remains limited, financial abuse is commonly used to exert power and control over women, often occurring alongside other types of abuse. This form of abuse is impactful because it strips individuals of financial freedom and independence, with lasting effects such as damaged credit and housing instability. 

This visual report explores what constitutes financial and economic abuse, real-life examples, and practical steps to protect your financial well-being. 

Economic abuse affects many women and gender-diverse individuals in Canada, with rates as high as 1 in 3 women experiencing it from intimate partners. ​

The Economic Abuse Project: Providing a model of improved support for survivors of domestic violence (EASE), is a collaboration between credit specialists, anti-violence organizations, and financial institutions to address the impacts of economic and financial abuse on survivors of domestic violence. It involves support for survivors to rebuild credit and develop financial literacy, brings professionals together to collaborate for financial system change and build the capacity of professionals to recognize and respond to economic abuse. ​

​The project is an adaptation of the UK-developed Domestic Economic Abuse Project (DEAP). The project improved outcomes for victims/survivors of domestic and economic abuse, enhanced understanding of economic abuse and identified areas for system change among the financial sector and other community agencies.

Publications

Financial Safety Planning – Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence

Economic and Financial Abuse – Key Terms

_{This project has been funded through Women and Gender Equality Canada’s Women’s Program}

The Safe and Stable Housing through Intentional Partnership (SSHIP) project aims to develop a comprehensive governance model and research process for collecting trauma-informed longitudinal housing data for diverse survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV). Through collaboration with community partners and pilot studies at key women’s shelters, SSHIP will innovate and test effective methods for understanding and addressing housing instability. The project’s ultimate goal is to scale these models and protocols, providing sustainable housing solutions and enhancing support for IPV survivors across Canada.

_{This project has been funded through Women and Gender Equality Canada’s Women’s Program.}

As women age, they are more likely to be living in poverty than men. This disparity is due to several factors, including the gender wage gap and women being more likely to experience career disruptions, such as caring for loved ones. These factors contribute to a lack of personal income and savings available to women over the age of 55 and older. Older women may experience additional barriers to economic security in later life due to their experiences of gender-based violence, including economic abuse and employment sabotage.   

This project will raise awareness of the financial and social needs of women over the age of 55. Through collaboration with key stakeholders, including older women with lived experience and community agencies, the project will develop and deliver education and capacity building to improve awareness of family violence and intimate partner violence among different populations of older women. 

Publications

Infographic: Violence Against Older Women

Infographic: Violence Against Older Women Risk Factors and Barriers

Infographic: Promising Practices for Agencies to Engage Older Women

_{This project has been funded by}

How can rental housing work better for survivors? Gender-based violence is a common cause of homelessness among women and gender-diverse people in Toronto and survivors face unique challenges to housing. 

This research report examines what it takes to support survivors as successful renters. The report contains findings from community-based research undertaken with women and gender-diverse people who have experienced gender-based violence and currently live in or are trying to access private rental housing in Toronto. The report shares their experiences and unique challenges to housing, including hidden homelessness, discrimination from landlords, and income insecurity. 

Women and gender diverse people in the criminal justice system have high rates of violence and trauma in their lifetime. Trauma can be both a direct and indirect pathway into criminalized activities and is often reproduced and worsened by experiences in the justice system. The experience of trauma and criminalization can be compounded by other intersecting identities, including race. Racialized women and gender diverse people are overrepresented in the criminal justice system and are the fastest growing prison population in Canada.

This research explores the relationship between trauma and criminalization among racialized women and highlights the dangerous stigma they face as a result. It discusses how intimate partner violence can be a pathway into the criminal justice system for survivors, and how the judgment surrounding criminalization remains a barrier to fleeing violence and resolving trauma. The report also speaks to what is needed to improve access to services for racialized survivors with experiences of criminalization.

Intimate partner violence is closely connected to women’s economic security, including their income, employment, and housing. Research has shown that intimate partner violence both directly and indirectly impacts survivors’ ability to work and maintain employment. This can be compounded by other factors, including gender, race, and age. Racialized women face systemic barriers to economic equality and are more likely to be in precarious and low-income employment than non-racialized women.

This research report draws on qualitative data gathered through surveys and interviews with racialized survivors. The report explores the experiences of racialized survivors in accessing and maintaining employment. It discusses the impact that trauma from racism and intimate partner violence has on women’s employment and what is needed to better support racialized survivors to access and maintain meaningful employment.

Economic abuse can be any form of financial control, abuse, mistreatment, and neglect. Senior immigrant women can have unique experiences of economic abuse because of intersecting identities of gender, age and immigration experience. Each of these have been known to impact experiences of gender-based violence and help seeking.

This leaflet provides information for senior immigrant women on identifying and seeking help for economic abuse. The leaflet is available in Amharic, Arabic, English, Farsi, Korean, Punjabi, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Tagalog, Traditional Chinese and Urdu.