By MIN Ambassador, 24.03.2025

Hidden Costs

How the Cost of Living Crisis affects victims of abuse

Sadly, the effect that the Cost of Living crisis has on victims of domestic abuse is not a new story. This Channel 5 News report comes from 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MU-rjr3OphI However, as the Cost of Living crisis continues, the challenges remain the same or have perhaps intensified further. 

Understanding economic abuse

Domestic abuse can take many forms. As a charity working with those suffering post-separation abuse, many of whom were in previously abusive relationships, we know that no two cases are exactly the same. However, it’s commonplace for victims to suffer multiple types of domestic abuse. These can include emotional, sexual, physical and economic abuse. Each of these types can also present in different ways. 

Economic abuse includes financial abuse, although there are differences between them. Financial abuse focuses specifically on controlling a person's access to and use of money. Economic abuse takes a broader view, encompassing not just the control of someone's money but also the power over someone's overall economic well-being. 

Maintaining control 

There are many ways in which economic abuse plays out in abusive relationships. However, it is often used to give the perpetrator a sense of control over the victim. Withholding money can mean that the victim has to ‘rely’ on their abuser. This can extend to perpetrators restricting someone’s access to work, ensuring that they are financially dependent on their abuser. Sometimes, economic abuse will include outright theft or coercion into taking out loans. All too often, these decisions are aligned with elements of emotional and psychological control. The victim may be told they’re ‘no good with money’, that controlling their spending comes from a place of love, or be accused of lacking trust if they challenge financial decisions.

Ongoing economic abuse 

The women we work with are no longer in abusive relationships. However, money and finances are frequently used to continue abusive behaviours post separation. It is one of the few ways in which the perpetrator is able to maintain a sense of control once the relationship has ended. 

Post separation, abusers may seek ways to restrict access to funds. This may be through shared bank accounts or failing to make child maintenance payments. But it could also be by being inconsistent or unreliable with childcare, making it difficult for the survivor to work and earn. 

Creating financial difficulties can limit the victim’s ability to parent as they’d wish to, whether that’s having to cancel a child’s clubs or struggling to pay for food, heating and other essentials. As well as the direct impact on physical health, financial stress can have a negative impact on health (physical and mental) and also on relationships.  

Legal abuse is also becoming more recognised as a way that perpetrators continue to seek control, and is often tied up with economic abuse. This is when legal threats and processes are used to frustrate and prolong issues unnecessarily. This can be costly both financially and emotionally. It is sometimes referred to as ‘vexatious litigation’. 

The cost of leaving

When those with little understanding of domestic abuse ask, ‘why don’t they just leave?’, they have failed to consider the wider implications of it. The victim will have done this. This includes weighing up the financial implications, and doing so whilst in the midst of trauma and psychological abuse. For some, the financial implications could be immense, trapping them with what can seem an impossible choice. Imagine having to leave your home and belongings without somewhere to go or any financial security? 

If they are responsible for children, this impact is amplified. The risk is not only the immediate concerns, but includes how they could maintain the child’s lifestyle. There is also the very real possibility of the abuser they have left being granted custody of the child/ren (a court may see them as a more stable provider). When this is considered, it’s easy to see how for a victim seeking to protect their child/ren, staying may seem the ‘safer’ option.   

Making Progress

Understanding the financial barriers that victims of domestic abuse face is an important part of the picture. Slowly, some progress is being made. Since 2020, Rail to Refuge has helped thousands of people escaping domestic abuse with free travel to refuges. As these are often located far away from their abuser for their own safety, travelling there can be expensive. https://media.raildeliverygroup.com/news/train-companies-announce-renewal-of-lifesaving-free-travel-to-refuges-for-survivors-of-domestic-abuse The Scottish parliament has also announced plans to investigate the cost of leaving abusive relationships. https://news.sky.com/story/cost-of-leaving-abusive-relationships-to-be-investigated-by-scottish-parliament-13272163

Support from Mums In Need

We continue to support mums suffering post-separation abuse in a wide number of ways, and also their children. Every case is unique, but our support ranges from free counseling to legal assistance as well as wellbeing sessions and complimentary cinema tickets for families. Of course, we can only do this thanks to the generous support of people and businesses. Your support, whatever its size, is appreciated. And our promise to you is to continue supporting survivors whilst doing all we can to raise awareness of the real issues that they face. Domestic abuse is a complex issue and often multifaceted. This is why our support is tailored to each individual.

If you can help us to support more Mums In Need, please visit our donation page and share our information far and wide.