Victims fleeing domestic violence (DV) often do so at the cost of losing their home.

According to the Gendered Violence Research Network, UNSW (2020), there is substantial evidence that “economic and financial hardship and insecurity can be a barrier to victims-survivors leaving abusive relationships”.

The problem

When leaving DV, victims are often re-starting their lives from even below baseline. The majority are contending with their own recovery from abuse in addition to supporting their children who may also be traumatised. Volatile child support payments, legal proceedings, significant medical expenses, and absence from the workplace may cause further financial strain on survivors. This may eventuate in superannuation withdrawals under extenuating circumstances or even bankruptcy, both of which have a significant impact on the long-term financial security of the DV victim and their children.

As stated by Michelle Lensink, SA Minister for Human Services, concerns of financial hardship and insecurity are of particular concern to women, and one of the key motivating factors that keep them in a violent relationship (Mirage News, 2021). “Many women choose not to pursue financial settlements after relationship breakdown because of the particular barriers created by family violence. This causes further financial disadvantage for women” (Women’s Legal Service Victoria, 2015).

The solution

To empower Domestic Violence victims to leave abusive relationships, society needs to provide support which gives survivors the hope of rebuilding their financial security.

We therefore ask the Australian Federal Government to make amendments so that:

A survivor recovering from a spousal domestic violence relationship can access all federal government First Home Buyer Schemes and Assistance regardless of whether they have previously accessed such support.

The benefits

Doing so would have the following benefits for:

a)     The DV survivor and family

• improve the individual’s financial future and outlook for retirement
• provide a positive sense of empowerment to the survivor thus reducing mental health issues
• provide a stable home environment therefore improving wellbeing and educational outcomes for their children
• support DV victims in breaking the cycle of violence for them and generations to follow

b)    Australia on a macro scale

• Encourage victims still in abusive relationships to leave. This scheme would assist in tackling the glaring societal issue of Domestic Violence which in effect should reduce policing hours on that issue
• improve mental health on a societal level, thus reducing large scale medical costs.

My story

As a survivor myself, after almost 2 decades of domestic violence, I know what the victim and their children endure upon leaving. It has been 8 years since I left and yet the financial scars are still very real. Let us work together to help DV survivors, both male and female, to rebuild their future.

Thank you for reading. Please sign my petition to add your support.

References

Gendered Violence Research Network, UNSW (2020). Understanding Economic and Financial Abuse in Intimate Partner Relationships. Retrieved from https://rlc.org.au/sites/default/files/attachments/UNSW%20report%201%20-%20Financial%20Abuse%20and%20IPV%20-%20PDF%20version%20-%20Final.pdf

Mirage News (2021). Financial Program to help DV victims plan a safer future. Retrieved from https://www.miragenews.com/financial-program-to-help-dv-victims-plan-a-safer-future/

Smallwood, E. (2015) Stepping Stones: Legal barriers to economic equality after family violence, Women’s Legal Service Victoria, Melbourne. Retrieved from https://www.womenslegal.org.au/files/file/Stepping%20Stones%20Report(1).pdf