Making Waves – Our strategy 2022-2025

“This quote inspired the title of our new three-year strategy published today – Making Waves.

Over the past five years, SEA has developed from a bold idea into an established charity, creating positive change in the lives of victim-survivors.

Our new strategy marks an exciting new phase in our journey. It captures our ambition to build on the strong foundations we have worked hard to build over the past five challenging, exhilarating years, and carry forward that momentum.

We are more resolute in our mission than ever – to raise awareness of economic abuse and transform responses to it.”

Dr Nicola Sharp-Jeffs, CEO and Founder of SEA

SEA has started important work raising awareness of economic abuse with the public. However, only two in five people are currently aware that economic abuse is a form of domestic abuse.

• We will continue to raise awareness of economic abuse, amplifying our voice by building relationships with high circulation media, digital and financial organisations.
• We will improve our knowledge of the social norms that underpin economic abuse
• We will add to and improve our information resources for survivors and work towards information that is accessible to all.

In the women’s sector

Responses to economic abuse are still at a relatively early stage of development in the UK. While there are examples of good work, some responses do not sufficiently recognise that economic stability underpins physical safety. Eight out of ten domestic abuse professionals have never received training on economic abuse.

• We will work with sector professionals to help them understand and respond to economic abuse
• We will advocate for increased funding so that the women’s sector can better support victim-survivors experiencing economic abuse
• We will work in partnership with Money Advice Plus to deliver a Financial Support Line and Casework Service for victim-survivors, ensuring referral pathways from domestic abuse organisations.   

In the financial services sector

More banks/building societies are signing up to the Financial Abuse Code which SEA worked with UK Finance to develop. While some large banking groups are committed to responding to economic abuse and have set up specialist teams, others are less ambitious.

• We will provide tailored guidance and training to professionals working within the financial service industry.  
• We will drive improvements across the financial services sector, including through the use of the Economic Abuse Evidence Form, so that processes and systems better support victim-survivors of economic abuse.

When SEA was founded in 2017, economic abuse was not recognised within policy or legislation. Naming and defining it within the Domestic Abuse Act (2021) has created a framework within which to respond.

• We will influence government policies and practices, as departments implement the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. 
• We will work with decision-makers for changes in legislation, policy and regulation that support system and practice change in the financial and women’s sectors.

SEA is still a young charity that has established itself quickly to respond to a growing need to address economic abuse. Since its inception, SEA’s work has been informed by victim-survivors and evidence.

Partnerships have also been crucial to SEA’s growth. We have worked hard to promote equality and inclusion but know we can do more.

• We will strengthen the connections survivors have with each other through the Expert-by-Experience Group and the development of the Survivor Forum  
• By working closely with survivors and prioritising high-quality research focused on minoritised groups, we will be led by survivors and ensure all our projects and partnerships reflect their needs.