Financial abuse is relatively common but poorly understood: 11.5% of Australians experience financial abuse but only 40% recognise it as such. A 2017 report found economic/financial abuse amongst those seeking the support of domestic violence services ranged from 78% to 99% (UNSW Gendered Violence Research Network 2020 Report).
Financial Rights Legal Centre assists victim-survivors each year who are struggling financially and psychologically as a result of relationship debt and financial abuse. They require support to extricate themselves from debts that may only have become evident after the relationship ends and a debt collector contacts them, or to make insurance claims on a policy not held in their sole name, unencumbered assets from unfairly incurred mortgages or clear their credit reports.
In this webinar, Claire Khoury (Senior Solicitor) and Rebekah Wong (Solicitor) from Financial Rights Legal Centre will:
- Explain what financial abuse is
- Provide practical steps that can be taken to help a victim-survivor untangle their situation
- Provide case studies
- Consider available remedies, legal defences and any external dispute resolution mechanisms and
- Where to seek support for a client facing these issues.