What is financial abuse in a marriage?
Financial abuse appears in many forms but fundamentally means that one person uses money to control or coerce another in a marriage.
An abuser might do any of the following:
Even after the relationship is over, partners continue to punish each other economically. Some partners who have the upper hand in terms of finances use this as leverage to control the ex-partner by paying late, by withholding certain benefits, or by not paying support, thereby forcing the ex-partner to constantly engage in costly litigation or to spend a great deal of time in the maintenance court, curtailing their ability to work to supplement their income.
Others will provide only enough for the partner and children to survive while they themselves continue to live in the comfort now denied to the children and ex-partner. Abusers can be partners, family members, or even carers, and the abused can be any age from early twenties onwards.
It is possible that victims can be helped by SAPS, social workers, attorneys, and magistrates. According to Opperman’s Attorneys, “Sometimes (but not always) financial abuse will be recognised by the police as coercive or controlling behaviour, which is recognised as a form of domestic violence. Economic abuse usually happens together with other forms of abuse, such as physical, sexual and psychological abuse, as just another way that the abuser manipulates and controls the victim-survivor. It is estimated that in at least 95% of cases, economic abuse will also be present when there are other forms of abuse being committed.”
The impact of economic abuse is economic instability and a lack of economic independence for the abused partner, which places limits on their freedom. The victim-survivor is then without access to money and the things that money can buy; it is difficult to leave an abuser and access safety. Practice has shown that someone experiencing this type of abuse can become so trapped in their relationship with the abuser that they are unable to offer resistance to the abuser’s control and at risk of further harm or that they stay in that relationship simply because they do not have the means and resources to escape from this abusive relationship. The after-effects of economic abuse can be challenging when it comes to rebuilding your life. Many victim-survivors leave with nothing, having no money (not even for essentials). Some leave with large amounts of debt racked up by their partner, which could directly affect their creditworthiness and long-term financial stability.
Economic abuse comes in many shapes and forms, but the underlying behaviour is coercive and controlling behaviour by the abuser.
The after-effects of economic abuse can be challenging when it comes to rebuilding your life. Many victim-survivors leave with nothing, having no money (not even for essentials).
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