The Home Office says urgent action is needed to identify the signs of economic abuse after research revealed one in five young men do not consider controlling someone’s spending as abuse.
A survey conducted by Ipsos UK and published by the Home Office and Surviving Economic Abuse this week found that men aged 18-24 are three times less likely than men between 45-54 to recognise controlling how someone spends their money as abuse, with “significant gaps in recognising controlling behaviours”.
Almost a fifth of men aged 18-24 (19%) said that controlling how someone spends their money is ‘probably not’ or ‘definitely not’ abuse, compared to 6% of 45–54-year-olds. A further 19% of 18-24 year-old men said they did not recognise controlling access to a personal bank account as abuse.
Taking out credit in someone else’s name without consent was not considered to be abuse by 16% of 18–24-year-olds, compared to just 4% of 45–54-year-olds.
Although overall awareness of economic abuse is high, with 94% of men able to identify at least one economically abusive behaviour, fewer recognised financial abuse in all its forms, with just 58% of men and 65% of all UK adults (men and women) able to identify every behaviour.
To tackle the abuse and raise awareness of its forms, major UK banks have joined forces with the government’s Enough campaign to highlight economic abuse behaviour that is often dismissed or misunderstood.
Customers will see campaign adverts in banking apps and some physical branches that highlight four forms of economic abuse: restricting someone’s ability to earn, running up debts in someone else’s name, controlling someone’s money, and misusing payment references to harass someone.
The banks are also rolling out technology to detect and prevent abusive messages sent through payment references when transferring money online.
Natalie Fleet, the minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, said: “Economic abuse may not always be visible and doesn’t always leave bruises, but its impact can be just as devastating, isolating victims and controlling every aspect of their lives.
“Controlling someone’s money, their work, or their independence is abuse. Plain and simple and it must not be dismissed or normalised. By working with banks on this important issue we are protecting victims and sending a clear message to perpetrators: this is not acceptable, and we will use the full power of the state to keep women and girls safe.”
Sam Smethers, CEO of Surviving Economic Abuse, added: “At a time when young women are experiencing the highest rates of economic abuse, it is deeply worrying that some younger men are less likely than any other age group to say these behaviours are abusive. That puts them out of step with the vast majority of young men and the wider public and highlights the urgent need to challenge harmful attitudes.
“We need to be absolutely clear: controlling someone’s money and economic resources is abuse. Whether it’s restricting how someone spends their money, forcing them into debt or making it difficult for them to work or study, these are tactics used by abusers to exert power and control. They trap survivors in dangerous situations and make it harder to safely escape and rebuild their lives.
“These attitudes matter because they shape what people think is acceptable in relationships. That’s why all of us – the government, businesses, schools and communities – have a role to play in sending a clear message: economic abuse is abuse, and it has no place in our society.”
Sarah Green, a family law partner at national law firm Michelmores, said: “As a family lawyer, I regularly witness the lasting impact that abuse can have on individuals and families, particularly on children.
“The government’s ‘Enough’ campaign highlights the concerning finding that young people in particular are failing to recognise behaviours which are considered to be financial abuse. This shows a clear need to raise awareness of economic abuse amongst young adults, to recognise the signs, challenge behaviours and know how and where to seek support.”
