SOCIO ECONOMIC

VIOLENCE
Socio Economic Deprivation
Socio-economic deprivation can make a victim more vulnerable to
other forms of violence and can even be the reason why other
forms of violence are inflicted.
Socio Economic Violence
◦ Global economic data clearly show that one of the consequences of globalization is
the feminisation of poverty (making women generally more economically vulnerable
than men), however economic vulnerability is a phenomenon that also exists on the
personal level.

◦ However, even when the relationship is reversed, and a woman has a higher economic
status in a relationship, this does not necessarily eliminate the threat of violence:
conflicts about status and emasculation may arise, particularly in already abusive
relationships.
Signs of financial abuse
1. Sabotages employment opportunities
2. Forbid you from working
3. Controls how your money is spent
4. Denies you direct access to bank accounts
5. Gives you an “allowance”
6. Runs up large debts on joint accounts without your permission
7. Force you to work in the family business without pay
The Impact of Socio Economic
Abuse
◦ Without access to money and the things that money can buy, it is difficult to leave an
abuser and access safety. Someone experiencing this type of abuse can become
trapped in a relationship with the abuser, unable to resist the abuser’s control and at
risk of further harm. In this way, economic safety underpins physical safety.
◦ The impact of economic abuse makes rebuilding lives challenging. Many women
leave with nothing — having no money even for essentials — and have to start again
from scratch. Many victim-survivors leave with large amounts of debt and poor credit
ratings, affecting their long-term economic stability, and many are unable to maintain
savings that provide economic security.