“Finding your site, and what you do, changed so much for me in terms of economic abuse actually being a ‘thing’. That validation has already helped me so much and I will be forever grateful.” Victim-survivor
As the world began to return to a ‘new normal’ after the tumultuous months of the pandemic, SEA marked another busy year.
Throughout this period we continued to see increased demand for SEA’s expertise. As a result, the partnerships through which we support frontline services working directly with victim-survivors became more important than ever.
This year, we:
strengthened our frontline partnership with Lloyds Banking Group, to lead the financial services sector in best practice responses for vulnerable customers
piloted the Economic Abuse Evidence Form with Money Advice Plus, testing a highly promising path to justice for victim-survivors with coerced debt
worked with government, financial services and other agencies to improve responses to economic abuse, building on our work to successfully influence legislation to encompass economic abuse.
Victim-survivors continue to be at the heart of everything we do, and we would like to recognise the courage and strength of the Experts by Experience who work alongside us.
What we achieved
As our three-year strategy, Surviving and Thriving, came to an end, we reflect on the incredible progress made across our four strategic priorities:
Awareness-raising and public education
We used our position as a credible voice on economic abuse, to reach even more people with important information
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Our work to influence the Domestic Abuse Act over the last three years positioned SEA as a credible voice. This year, we used this to reach more people with important information about economic abuse.
We gained 91 pieces of coverage in print and broadcast media.
Our website reached more people than ever before with 178,000 page views.
We worked alongside 8 influential advisors and ambassadors each bringing a wealth of skills and experience to our organisation.
Our animation ‘what is economic abuse’ was viewed over 200,00times across social media.
We also launched a Survivor’s Forum, a safe and supportive online space for victim-survivors to connect with others. 81 survivors joined in the first three months since its launch, with survivors sharing experiences of the effects of economic abuse.
This year also saw the inaugural Survivor Summit, bringing together EEG members and keynote speakers to offer network opportunities, build relationships and share knowledge.
“What has helped me recover the most? Talking and sharing with others who have been through something similar.” Victim-survivor
Professional responses
We continued to equip frontline professionals with the knowledge & skills to respond to victim-survivors of economic abuse
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Through award-winning partnerships and an established training programme, we equip frontline professionals with the knowledge and skills to respond to victim-survivors of economic abuse.
We advised frontline professionals on 230 complex cases involving economic abuse, from settings including domestic abuse charities and money & debt advice services.
We provided training on economic abuse to over 1,000 professionals from domestic abuse charities, money and debt advice services, housing providers, local authorities and financial services.
We expanded the Financial Support Line and casework service (run in partnership with Money Advice Plus), offering regulated money and debt advice to 450 victim-survivors of domestic abuse.
The casework service recorded confirmed financial gains for 71 victim-survivors, totalling an
estimated £1.13m. One survivor was supported to
achieve a financial gain totalling more than £74,000.
“Thank you so much for all the support and advice you have provided. It has been life changing.” Victim-survivor
Systems change
This year, we made strides towards systems change in financial services to ensure that women are supported at scale
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Fundamental change to systems is needed across sectors to ensure that women are supported at scale. This year, we made strides towards systems change in financial services.
During The Economic Abuse Evidence Form (EAEF) pilot year, the form was used by 10 creditors in total. Use of the form has also seen victim-survivors supported to achieve debt write-offs totalling £177,000.
For the first time, and following engagement with SEA, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) amended its guidance for vulnerable customers to show economic control within domestic abuse as a driver of vulnerability.
“By being part of this pilot, we can ensure that victim-survivors do not have to relive the trauma of having to re-tell their story and can get access to the best debt solution quickly.” Liz Freitas – Inclusive Services Engagement Manager, Affinity Water
Policy influencing
With the Domestic Abuse Act in place, we entered a new chapter this year, focusing on successful implementation of the law
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We continue to center the lived experience of victim-survivors in our work to ensure that our policy asks truly reflect their needs.
We responded to consultations that informed the development of the National Domestic Abuse Plan published in March 2022 and including 12 references to Economic Abuse.
We called on the Government to put women’s safety at the heart of its approach in its Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy.
This year, we called for the legal aid means test to be scrapped for victims of domestic abuse in a new report, Denied Justice. Including testimony from 43 survivors, findings from this new report were shared widely on social media reaching over 100,000 people.
To mark International Women’s Day, we collaborated with global law firm Hogan Lovells on their pro bono report Legal Rights and remedies for economic abuse. The report is the first of its kind in the UK, focusing on reparations and compensation for victim-survivors of economic abuse.
“I can’t tell you how helpful it is… The legal landscape makes so much more sense to me now.” Victim-survivor.
“I thought I was alone, in a situation that was always called ‘complex’ or ‘unusual ’… until I discovered SEA.”
Victim-survivor
Ethel’s story
Throughout the marriage, Ethel’s husband ran up thousands of pounds of debt in her name. A decade after leaving, she was still facing the consequences of the coerced debt. When Ethel called the Financial Support Line, run by Money Advice Plus with the support of SEA, she was referred to the specialist Casework Service. She has since had more than £23,000 of debt written off.
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Throughout the marriage, Ethel’s husband ran up thousands of pounds of debt in her name. A decade after leaving, she was still facing the consequences of the coerced debt.
The abuser had always taken control of all the finances and repeatedly told Ethel she was “stupid” and “bad with money”. He forced her to take out loans, screaming in her face if she refused. After she fled, she tried to close the account she held jointly with the abuser, but her bank refused to do so without his signature and consent. The abuser then used the account’s overdraft to run up further debt, which the bank pursued her for.
When Ethel called the Financial Support Line, run by Money Advice Plus with the support of SEA, she was referred to the specialist casework service. She was supported to build her money confidence and to find solutions to the debt created through the abuse. She has since had more than £23,000 of debt written off. Ethel was experiencing anxiety and depression but writing off the debt was transformative.
“Please be assured that the difference you’ve made to myself personally and my mental health is, and I’m not exaggerating, life changing!… As well as your knowledge and vigilance, you provided such moral support… I hope you realise the… the difference it’ll make to my future.”
Ethel
