£1.6m Lifeline for Domestic Abuse Victims

Poverty and debt are often major factors preventing victims of domestic abuse from escaping a relationship, particularly when children are involved.

Financial coercive control can include being forced to sign contracts or take out loans, being prevented from working or having money withheld or taken from you.

It can adversely affect the victim's access to financial services such as direct debits because of poor credit scores.

Since 2022, Financially Included has helped 390 victims of domestic abuse where financial coercive control is a feature to have debts written off, claim the benefits they are eligible for and access additional support from charities. This assistance totalled more than £1.6million.

The partnership project, developed by GEMAP, Glasgow's Violence Against Women Partnership (GVAWP) and Glasgow City Council's Violence Against Women Services, recognises that poverty and financial control are often huge barriers preventing women from leaving coercive and controlling domestic abuse.

Many victims even find themselves repaying coerced debt long after the relationship ends.

As well as helping women, Financially Included is offering training to money advice organisations to identify signs of coercive control and advising them on how to advocate for and support victims. The project has also developed a toolkit to assist public and private sector organisations to respond effectively to this complex issue.

Glasgow City Council's Financial Services are on the project's steering group.

Ann Fehilly of Glasgow's Violence Against Women Services said: "Financial coercive control is a form of abuse which can limit a victims ability to leave a relationship, seek safety and build a better life for them and their children.

"It can also often be an early red flag indicating abuse. Rushing the pace of a relationship and sharing economic resources can trap women longer term.

"This unique Glasgow project, which runs in tandem with other GVAWP support for domestic abuse victims, is helping women gain control and rebuild their lives."

The project's achievements were reported to Glasgow City Council's Environment and Liveable Neighbourhoods Committee yesterday (27/8/24).

Councillors also heard that the unique Glasgow project was attracting interest from other Violence Against Women Partnerships and there's hope it could be adopted elsewhere in Scotland.