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Navigating the pathway to financial security is a full-time job for victim-survivors of economic abuse
Victim-survivors of economic abuse are struggling with the demands of navigating a chaotic pathway in the fight for financial security, labelling it a full-time job according to a new report which will be launched in the NSW Parliament on Wednesday 6 August, 2025.
Delivered by the Illawarra Women’s Health Centre through its major project, the Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre, in partnership with the Centre for Women’s Economic Safety (CWES), the report highlights the many obstacles and limited enablers faced by victim-survivors as they seek financial safety and security.
Authored by Julie Kun, Financial Security Pathways after Economic Abuse is the result of consultations with victim-survivors, academics and service providers, and focuses on three target victim-survivor populations of older women, women with disabilities and single mothers.
The report indicates the profound effects of economic abuse can last a lifetime and include prolonged poverty, poor mental health, and financial depravation that can cause housing insecurity and homelessness.
Illawarra Women’s Health Centre, Executive Director, Sally Stevenson said victim-survivors describe a complex web of overlapping systems when they try to navigate financial and essential services in a bid to secure their long-term financial security.
“Those most in need report there is no clear pathway to financial security post separation even though financial security is closely tied to their sense of safety, autonomy and income sufficiency,” she said.
“They report struggling with the amount of separate yet overlapping service delivery systems, interrelated and sometimes conflicting policies, along with sexism, ageism and racism that leaves them frustrated, exhausted and disillusioned.
“As this report indicates, it is time to dismantle the obstacles to financial support and implement evidence formed changes to create viable, streamlined pathways to financial security.”
CWES Founder and CEO Rebecca Glenn said the report, which draws on the experience and expertise of victim-survivors, academics and service providers within the Illawarra, explores financial recovery responses across financial and essential services, employment, social security, child support, family court, health care, NDIS, domestic and family violence services, and financial counselling.
“Women need clarity and flexibility when it comes to pursuing financial security after economic abuse but are finding there is no easy way forward with multiple barriers impeding their progress,” she said.
“Legal proceedings, financial entanglement, post-separation abuse, non-payment of child support, inadequate social security income and challenges in gaining decent employment are just some of the obstacles they need to navigate.
“This report offers evidence-based recommendations that target multiple areas including government, community, financial, health, aged, and disability services and policy. Some recommendations are quick fixes while others are long-term strategies but all have the ability to positively impact financial security after economic abuse.”
While the report offers a substantial list of recommendations across multiple service delivery and policy areas, priorities include:
Government Social Security and Payments:
- Raise social security benefits above the poverty line.
- Guarantee child support payments.
- Increase allowable work hours for social security recipients.
Community Services:
- Establish multi-disciplinary service hubs for domestic violence and financial recovery.
- Increase funding for specialist domestic violence financial counsellors and tax clinics. Finance and Essential Services:
- Support sector-wide adoption of non-payment of child support being considered like any other debt when assessing for credit check reporting.
- Stop interest accumulation on debts suspended due to domestic violence.
- Promote alternatives to joint loans and disclose risks and benefits of taking up joint financial products and services.
Health:
- Increase mental health plan sessions from 10 to 20 per year.
- Ensure NDIS recipients don't lose NDIS funding when leaving abusive relationships. Guarantee aged care support for older victim-survivors Data Collection:
- Collect data on economic abuse at organisational, state, and national levels, including abuse by intimate partners, family members within Australia and overseas, and carers.
General:
- Reduce Apprehended Violence Orders (AVO) requirement as proof of domestic and family violence
- Centre lived experiences in policy and product design for economic abuse recovery.
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About the Illawarra Women’s Health Centre
Nationally accredited, the Illawarra Women’s Health Centre has a focus on mental health, women experiencing domestic and family violence and sexual assault, and sexual and reproductive health. The community-based Centre sees over 3,000 women a year and has an exceptional reputation, providing integrated care and social support to women with complex needs, using a social model of health and a community development approach to service delivery.
The Centre is a women’s only space, and its staff are all female, experienced, and trauma informed. The Centre offers specialised domestic and family violence support and programs for all women, including girls and young women, and women with intellectual disabilities.
The Centre also runs a wide range of health and wellbeing programs and group activities. These include community led group activities, as well as structured programs on healthy relationships and self-esteem. The groups are critical to reducing social isolation (a risk factor and symptom of domestic violence) and building community cohesion and capacity.
5 AUGUST 2025
MEDIA CONTACT: Dionne Garcia – 0421 599 631
