Economic violence refers to a situation in which the perpetrator controls, exploits or destroys the financial resources of another person in order to weaken their financial independence or to benefit themselves financially.
Economic violence is typically a form of violence in an intimate relationship, but it may also occur in other close relationships. The target may be a child, parent or grandparent, for example. Economic violence is not dependent on physical contact; it can continue even after the relationship has ended. Economic violence is often linked to other forms of domestic violence, but it may also occur without other forms of violence.
Economic violence includes:
- monitoring and controlling the other person’s spending (such as controlling all income and expenses, demanding receipts or change for purchases)
- deciding on shared financial matters alone
- preventing independent spending (such as controlling a joint bank account, handing out money for food, dictating what money can be spent on, forcing the other person to give access to their money)
- preventing financial decision-making
- pressuring the other person to pay for purchases or bills that are not theirs
- forging documents
- stealing or damaging property
- threatening or prolonging the division or partition of property
- manipulation of common assets a (such as hiding and transferring common assets to one’s own control or out of the reach of another party)
- refusing to pay maintenance
- disturbing the other person’s work, restricting their work or studying, or making it difficult for them to get to work
- threatening or extorting economic violence.
Contact Nollalinja for help with experiences and threats of economic violence.
Read more: Economic violence (THL in Finnish)