Spotlight on economic abuse - Good Shepherd Youth & Family ...

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legal matters migration matters health. Public awareness and understanding of these issues is poor. Responses to a 2009 national survey of community attitudes to violence against women show that, while awareness of domestic violence as a serious issue has increased, recognition of non-physical behaviours—including economic abuse—as forms of domestic violence remains low. Findings included that 25 per cent of survey respondents did not believe that “controlling a partner by denying them money” was a form of domestic violence (compared with 33 per cent in 1995) (Victorian Health Promotion Foundation [VicHealth] 2010; McGregor 2009). Public policy and practice At the broadest level economic abuse may be addressed through the achievement of equality for women. This has been a strong theme in recent public policy in Australia and there have been some recent positive outcomes for women specifically in relation to employment. While prevention has been a key focus of recent policies to address violence against women, there is little evidence of any specific attention to raising community awareness of economic abuse as an aspect of domestic and family violence as a preventative strategy. Public policies framing tertiary responses to violence have a strong safety focus, including a focus on physical safety at the point of crisis and on stopping further violence. An additional focus on women’s longer-term wellbeing, including their financial wellbeing, is needed to address economic abuse. The Australian Law Reform Commission’s (ALRC) recent review of legal frameworks relating to family violence produced recommendations to improve responses for people experiencing violence in the social security, family assistance and child support systems. The implementation of these recommendations should assist to stop the continuation of economic abuse after women have left relationships and to mitigate the impacts of abuse. There is limited research that identifies women’s pathways through legal systems to regain economic security following domestic violence and this is an area in which further information is needed. There is also a need to identify appropriate strategies for building women’s financial capability. Legal and regulatory frameworks The recent inclusion of economic abuse in the Commonwealth Family Law Act 1975 paves the way for a common framework for domestic and family violence in a wide range of legal and regulatory instruments that impact on protections for women and on responses to economic abuse. Similarly, the take-up of the ALRC’s recommendations for changes to relevant laws and guidelines of Fair Work Australia, Safe Work Australia, Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) and Job Services Australia the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, Department of Human Services, Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and superannuation fund materials should see improved responses to economic abuse. iv
Currently, there are a number of gaps in protection for temporary visa holders and potential for change in relation to Migration Review Tribunal fees for women experiencing domestic and family violence. More information is needed with regards to how legal processes in relation to victims’ compensation and property settlements can operate to support effective responses to economic abuse. The extent of abuse in relation to self-managed superannuation funds could be monitored to establish if there is a need for responses in addition to the changes to guidelines for trustees that were recommended by the ALRC. The ALRC has recommended that there is easier access to superannuation funds prior to retirement for women experiencing violence. While this may be extremely helpful to women who need funds at a time of crisis, there is a very strong argument for the development of alternative options through the income support system or some other arrangement. The depleting of women’s superannuation savings may create disadvantage in the long term. Consumer protection is a crucial area of regulation for women experiencing economic abuse because it affects the forms economic abuse can take, women’s ability to stop the abuse, their ability to manage financially on leaving a relationship, and their options for reestablishing financial security and wellbeing. As recent consumer credit reform has not substantially improved protections, it is imperative that women have access to appropriate financial products so they are not forced to rely on high interest loans and credit. Consumer protection in relation to other products and essential services relies heavily on voluntary codes and company policies. Therefore there may be a need for education and information for individual providers to raise awareness and understanding of economic abuse and to identify appropriate responses, including in relation to hardship policies. Employment participation, supportive workplaces and safety at work There remain significant gender inequities in relation to opportunities for participation in, and remuneration for, work and this continues to be a key issue for all women including for the prevention of economic abuse. Responses to violence at the workplace level can ensure women are safe at work and provide support for women who experience violence. Currently in Australia there appears to be considerable momentum to implement these types of interventions. However, for the achievement of change which includes protection for women employed in smaller enterprises, there needs to be change to the National Employment Standards, the Fair Work Act and/or to anti-discrimination laws. Community services sector Key services and programs relating to economic abuse include domestic and family violence and general services such as financial counselling, legal assistance, accommodation assistance, material aid and financial education programs. Identified gaps in community sector responses include post-crisis services and services which address issues relating to the long-term impacts of economic abuse and domestic violence. v
Page 2 and 3: Spotlight on Econo
Page 4 and 5: Contents List of Abbreviations ....
Page 6 and 7: Executive Summary This literature r
Page 10 and 11: There is a need for greater support
Page 12 and 13: Overview This paper is organised as
Page 14 and 15: The DV Vic definition informs the u
Page 16 and 17: Case Study: Maria Maria’s husband
Page 18 and 19: Some ‘typical scenarios’ of eco
Page 20 and 21: As part of repeated or ongoing cont
Page 22 and 23: also outside the scope of this pape
Page 24 and 25: Influences, Impacts and Points of I
Page 26 and 27: Particular vulnerabilities to econo
Page 28 and 29: Exploring the impacts of economic a
Page 30 and 31: Impacts relating to child support.
Page 32 and 33: Compared with 1995, people were mor
Page 34 and 35: Public Policies and Practices There
Page 36 and 37: the legal frameworks affecting dome
Page 38 and 39: In addition to family violence poli
Page 40 and 41: Centrelink may seek to recover paym
Page 42 and 43: Services staff providing customer s
Page 44 and 45: perpetrators to be excluded from th
Page 46 and 47: purpose is to “build the capacity
Page 48 and 49: financial literacy strategy. Howeve
Page 50 and 51: or in any other way controls or dom
Page 52 and 53: In its recent review the ALRC ident
Page 54 and 55: and for the creation of a new tempo
Page 56 and 57: equiring assistance or consideratio
Page 58 and 59:
establish if there is a need for re
Page 60 and 61:
considered by community sector grou
Page 62 and 63:
Community Services Policies and Pra
Page 64 and 65:
Financial counselling services are
Page 66 and 67:
Conclusion: Community services resp
Page 68 and 69:
—— 2011, Forms of employment, A
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Chappell, D & Di Martino, V 2000, V
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se.unsw.edu.au/Conference%20papers/
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Northern Territory Government 2008,
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VicHealth—see Victorian Health Pr
Page 78 and 79:
ALRC (2011c) recommendations for ch
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