The Financial Abuse We Rarely See
- Jun 10
- 6 min read
Economic violence does not leave bruises. It often unfolds quietly, through restricted access to money, interference with employment, financial manipulation, or the deliberate creation of dependency. Because it is less visible than other forms of abuse, it is frequently overlooked by policymakers, institutions, and even those experiencing it. However, growing evidence suggests that economic violence is far more widespread than previously understood and can have devastating consequences for women's autonomy, well-being, and ability to leave abusive relationships.
According to research published by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), economic violence affects between 16% and 33% of women who have ever been in a relationship, depending on the country studied. In some cases, nearly one in three women reported experiencing economic abuse from an intimate partner at some point in their lives. These figures suggest that economic violence is not a marginal issue affecting a small minority of women but a widespread social problem that deserves far greater attention than it currently receives.
When Control Is Exercised Through Money
Economic violence refers to behaviours that cause financial harm or restrict a person's economic independence. EIGE identifies three main forms of economic abuse: economic control, economic exploitation, and economic sabotage.
Economic Control
Economic control occurs when one partner restricts another person's access to financial resources or decision-making. This can involve withholding information about household finances, monitoring spending, limiting access to bank accounts, or requiring permission for purchases.
Economic Exploitation
Economic exploitation involves using a partner's income, assets, savings, property, or benefits without their consent. In practice, this may include taking a woman's wages, accumulating debt in her name, pressuring her to transfer assets, or using jointly owned resources primarily for personal gain. In some cases, women are left financially responsible for debts they did not create or deprived of assets to which they are legally entitled, creating long-term financial insecurity that can persist long after a relationship ends.
Economic Sabotage
Economic sabotage, meanwhile, interferes with a person's ability to work, study, earn an income, or develop financial independence. This can take many forms, including discouraging or preventing a woman from accepting a job, disrupting her work performance, obstructing access to education or professional training, or refusing to share caregiving responsibilities in ways that make employment difficult to sustain. While these behaviours may not appear overtly financial, they can significantly limit a woman's earning potential, career progression, and long-term economic security, increasing dependency on a partner over time.
These behaviours may appear less alarming than physical violence, but their effects can be profound. Access to financial resources influences where people live, the opportunities available to them, and their ability to make independent decisions. When those resources are controlled by someone else, freedom itself becomes constrained.
Research conducted across the European Union found that even when economic violence is measured using only two indicators, approximately 8.2% of women reported that a partner controlled household finances or prevented them from working. EIGE notes that this prevalence is comparable to rates reported for physical intimate partner violence.
Why Financial Abuse Often Remains Invisible
One reason economic violence receives less attention than other forms of abuse is that many of its behaviours have historically been normalized. Financial control within relationships is often viewed as a private matter rather than a potential form of coercion.
Cultural expectations also play a role. Women continue to perform a disproportionate share of unpaid care work across Europe, which can increase economic dependency. According to data from Eurostat, women in the European Union spend considerably more time than men on childcare and household responsibilities, reducing opportunities for paid employment and financial independence.
When financial dependency already exists, economically abusive behaviours can be more difficult to identify. What may appear to outsiders as traditional financial arrangements may, in reality, be mechanisms of control that limit a woman's choices and reinforce unequal power dynamics.
Economic Violence Rarely Happens Alone
One of the most important findings emerging from EIGE's research is that economic violence rarely occurs in isolation. Among women who experienced economic violence, approximately 90% also reported experiencing psychological violence. More than half reported experiencing physical violence. These figures suggest that economic abuse is frequently part of a broader pattern of coercive control in which multiple forms of abuse reinforce one another.
This finding is significant because financial dependency can make it more difficult for women to leave abusive situations. Access to housing, legal support, transportation, childcare, and basic living expenses often depends on economic resources. When those resources are controlled by an abusive partner, leaving becomes considerably more complicated.
Research from UN Women has repeatedly highlighted economic independence as one of the key factors influencing women's ability to escape violence and rebuild their lives.
The Psychological Cost of Financial Dependency
The impact of economic violence extends far beyond money. It can affect confidence, mental health, relationships, and overall well-being. EIGE found that between 67% and 88% of women who experienced economic violence reported psychological consequences as a result. Anxiety, chronic stress, feelings of helplessness, diminished self-confidence, and emotional distress were among the most frequently reported effects.
These findings challenge the misconception that economic abuse is somehow less harmful than other forms of violence. Financial control affects more than bank balances. It affects a person's sense of agency. When someone is consistently denied the ability to make decisions about their own resources, opportunities, or future, the message communicated is that their independence is conditional and their choices are secondary.
Over time, these experiences can reshape how women view themselves and their capabilities, creating patterns of dependency that persist long after the immediate financial circumstances have changed.
Empowerment Requires Economic Freedom
Discussions about women's empowerment often focus on confidence, leadership, resilience, and self-belief. While these qualities matter, empowerment also has an economic dimension.
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, women's economic empowerment is essential for reducing poverty, strengthening economies, and advancing gender equality. Yet OECD data shows that women across member countries continue to earn less, accumulate less wealth, and face greater financial vulnerability than men.
Economic autonomy does not guarantee freedom, but the absence of economic autonomy often limits it. The ability to make meaningful choices about one's life depends not only on confidence and ambition but also on access to resources, opportunities, and financial security.
This is why economic violence deserves a more prominent place in conversations about gender equality. It affects women's ability to participate fully in society, pursue professional opportunities, and exercise control over their own futures.
Making the Invisible Visible
Economic violence challenges us to broaden our understanding of what abuse looks like. Control is not always exercised through physical force. Sometimes it is exercised through restricted access to money, blocked career opportunities, financial manipulation, or deliberate dependency.
The growing body of evidence from EIGE and other international organizations suggests that economic violence is both widespread and deeply harmful. Yet it remains one of the least recognized forms of gender-based violence. Better data collection, stronger legal protections, and greater public awareness are all necessary steps toward addressing the problem.
Most importantly, economic violence reminds us that equality is not only a legal or social issue. It is also an economic one. A society committed to women's empowerment cannot ignore the ways financial control is used to restrict women's choices, limit their opportunities, and undermine their independence. Making economic violence visible is not simply about naming a problem. It is about recognizing that economic autonomy is a fundamental component of freedom itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is economic violence?
Economic violence is a form of abuse that uses money, financial resources, employment, or economic opportunities as tools of control. It can include restricting access to money, taking a partner's income, creating debt in their name, preventing them from working, or otherwise limiting their financial independence.
How is economic violence different from financial disagreements in a relationship?
Disagreements about spending, saving, or financial priorities can occur in any relationship. Economic violence, however, involves a pattern of control, coercion, or exploitation that limits one person's ability to make independent financial decisions or access economic resources. The key difference is the presence of power and control rather than mutual discussion or compromise.
Can economic violence occur without physical violence?
Yes. Economic violence can occur on its own, although research shows it often coexists with other forms of abuse. According to the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), many women who experience economic violence also report psychological or physical violence, but financial abuse can be present even when no physical violence occurs.
Why is economic independence important for women's empowerment?
Economic independence provides women with greater freedom to make decisions about their lives, careers, relationships, and future. Access to financial resources, employment opportunities, and economic security can reduce vulnerability to abuse and increase the ability to leave harmful situations. Economic empowerment is therefore a key component of gender equality and personal autonomy.
Written by Betty Chatzipli
Betty is an experienced mentor and Women’s Empowerment Coach with a multifaceted background in Art History, Business Development, and PR. She is the Founder & CEO of Expert on Your Life, LLC, where she offers one-on-one coaching and designs transformative programs that help women build essential skills. She also runs The Rise of She, where she writes extensively on women’s empowerment, focusing on personal growth and resilience. Contact: lifecoach@expertonyourlife.com
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