THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT LINE FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE

Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA) is the only UK charity dedicated to raising awareness of economic abuse and transforming responses to it. Money Advice Plus (MAP) has been delivering a national debt advice and casework service to survivors of domestic abuse since 2010.

Giving financial guidance in the context of domestic abuse has safety implications: women who experience economic abuse are five times more likely to experience physical abuse and are at greater risk of homicide. SEA and MAP therefore formed a partnership and raised funds to jointly operate an integrated money advice model which screens for economic abuse, enabling advisors to respond to the complex financial guidance needs of victim-survivors of domestic abuse.

To date, over 400 women have been supported, resulting in increased money confidence levels, greater economic stability and extremely positive feedback:

'I was at the end of my tether, you helped me get rid of the debt my ex-partner had left me in. I feel you have given me my life back. Thank you so much.'

Learning from the project has informed the design of training and resources for professionals, and informed SEA's influencing work to challenge industry systems and government policies that inadvertently facilitate abuse.