Posts tagged economic abuse

Company directorships as economic abuse are flying under the radar

Womens Policy Action Tank, Issues, Finance and economics, GenderPower to Persuade24 October 2023economic abuse, women and work, violence against women

If it walks and talks like credit: behind the regulation of Buy Now Pay Later

In today’s post, Emma O’Neill of Good Shepherd (@GoodShepANZ) explores the potential impacts of the Government’s proposed regulation of Buy Now, Pay Later Products. Emma is a Senior Policy & Advocacy Advisor with a particular interest in women’s economic security, gender and climate change, and the impacts of marketisation on social equity.

Womens Policy Action Tank, Finance and economicsPower to Persuade30 May 2023BNPL, Buy Now Pay Later, Financial products, regulation, Poverty, welfare reform, economic abuse

Buy Now Pay Later is not the same as lay-by

In today’s analysis, Phoebe Nagorcka-Smith (@PNagorckaSmith) of Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand (@GoodShepANZ) uses evidence from their recent ‘Safety net for sale’ report to explore how Buy Now Pay Later is used to trap family violence victim-survivors in debt, and why regulation is key to preventing it.

Finance and economics, Womens Policy Action TankWomen's Policy Action Tank22 December 2022financial wellbeing, economic abuse, family violence, regulation

Tethered through Centrelink: Couple payment policies work against women’s safety

Centrelink plays a central role in supporting women and children to leave family violence. But how effective is this safety net? Previous research by Economic Justice Australia (formerly the National Social Security Rights Network) found that Centrelink policies and processes often increased women’s risk. Today’s analysis provides an overview Economic Justice Australia’s latest report, authored by Sally Cameron of Welfare Rights Centre (@welfare rights) and Linda Forbes of Economic Justice Australia (@ej_australia), which examines how Centrelink debts intersect with family violence. You can access the full report here: Debt, duress and dob-ins: Centrelink compliance processes and domestic violence

Womens Policy Action TankWomen's Policy Action Tank23 November 2021family violence, welfare reform, economic abuse, JobSeeker

Serious about women’s safety? It requires broad policy reform

The Women’s Safety Summit has sparked multiple conversations about best practice and effective policy for the next National Plan to End Violence Against Women and their Children. In today’s analysis, Emma O’Neill of Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand (@GoodAdvocacy) makes the argument that wider policy decisions during the term of the first National Plan reduced women’s economic security and ran counter to women’s safety, and that these need to be reversed under the next National Plan.

Womens Policy Action TankWomen's Policy Action Tank13 October 2021Women's safety, family violence, economic abuse, housing and homelessness, Policy making, policy problem

Women’s financial security will be further eroded by weakening consumer credit protections

The Federal government has proposed changes to the National Consumer Credit Protection Act which will, it says, make credit more accessible to individuals and small businesses during the recovery period from COVID-19. However, these changes have been critiqued as a way to circumvent some of the recommendations from the Banking Royal Commission. In today’s analysis, Lily Gardener and Madeleine Ulbrick (@MaddyUlbrick), both of Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand (@GoodAdvocacy) summarise their submission commenting on the Amendment, detailing how such changes are likely to further disadvantage women who are still struggling from the pink recession.

Womens Policy Action TankWomen's Policy Action Tank3 March 2021Royal Commission, financial vulnerability, economic abuse, Lived/consumer experience, Gender Inequity, family violence

Women’s physical security cannot be achieved without securing their financial independence

In response to the Senate Inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violence, this is the second in a three-part series on how policy responses could be more effective in keeping women and children safe. Today’s analysis, written by Madeleine Ulbrick (@maddyulbrick) of Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand (@goodadvocacy), highlights the relationship between women’s physical security and financial independence, identifying that unlocking financial independence is a critical step to both prevention and protection from violence. This post is drawn from Good Shepherd’s submission to the Inquiry. Part one of this series can be accessed here.

Womens Policy Action TankWomen's Policy Action Tank1 October 2020economic abuse, family violence, policy problem

‘A Man’s Home is His Castle. And Mine is a Cage’: A feminist Political Economy Analysis of Economic Abuse in Victoria

There is increasing understanding that economic abuse coincides with other forms of family violence and abuse, as the perpetrator is driven to exert power and control. Despite this, its hidden nature and the various forms it takes means it is seldom addressed in system responses. In today’s post, Dr Madeleine Ulbrick (@MaddyUlbrick) of Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand (@GoodAdvocacy) shares insights from her recently completed PhD on economic abuse responses in Victoria. She argues that to effectively achieve women’s physical security, their material security must be prioritised.

Womens Policy Action TankWomen's Policy Action Tank4 June 2020economic abuse, violence against women, family violence, financial vulnerability, policy problem

Holistic responses to economic abuse: Reporting on progress

The Royal Commission into Family Violence identified economic abuse as a mostly hidden but highly prevalent method for exerting power and control. In response, the Economic Abuse Reference Group (EARG) was established to ensure that a holistic response to economic abuse is embedded across government, industry and essential services. In today’s post, Dr Madeleine Ulbrick (@MaddyUlbrick) of Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand and Carolyn Bond AO (@carolynLBond) of EARG share highlights from their recently-released report, Responding to Financial Abuse.

Womens Policy Action TankWomen's Policy Action Tank11 May 2020economic abuse, family violence, policy problem

The bidirectional relationship between financial hardship and women’s mental health

The Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System provides an opportunity to consider the social and economic factors that contribute to poor mental health using a gender lens. This piece by Sarah Squire (@SquireSarah) and Policy Whisperer Susan Maury (@SusanMaury) of Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand (@GoodAdvocacy) explores how financial hardship and stress contribute to poor mental health, drawing on case studies and reflections from practitioners in Good Shepherd services. This is the third in a 4-part series based on Good Shepherd’s submission; Part 1 provides an overview of the gendered nature of mental health, while Part 2 discusses the related issue of economic inequality.

Womens Policy Action Tank, Social Policy WhispererWomen's Policy Action Tank29 July 2019finance, mental health, gender, economic abuse, susan maury

Dowry abuse: it's a growing problem in Australia, but new laws aren't the answer

Recently the Inquiry into The Practice of Dowry and the Incidence of Dowry Abuse in Australia published its final report. While forms of dowry are practiced in many countries and cultural contexts, it is unknown how wide-spread the practice is within Australia. Of particular concern is the ways that it can intersect with domestic and family violence, and with economic abuse in particular. In today’s post, Marie Segrave (@MSegrave) of Monash University and Laura Vidal (@LauraEmilyVidal) of Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand and Monash University provide context for an effective response.

Womens Policy Action TankWomen's Policy Action Tank12 March 2019family violence, violence against women, economic abuse, CALD communities

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