Addressing abused women’s financial security: securing safer outcomes
Rochelle Braaf and Emily Hamilton
Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse, UNSW
Contact Email:   r.braafunsw.edu.au

Domestic violence can have a crippling effect on women’s financial security, preventing many women from leaving violent situations and forcing some women to return to these relationships due to hardship. The individual and interconnected contributions of domestic violence to victims’ poverty, unemployment, homelessness, health problems, diminished confidence and self esteem make it a key driver of women’s social exclusion. This paper will report on initial findings of a one year project being conducted by the Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse, that examines ways of supporting abused women to become financially secure. The project is investigating barriers and avenues to financial security for women affected by domestic violence (pre and post separation). The study is especially concerned with identifying practical strategies that will promote women’s financial security, and working with services and agencies to further develop and implement these. The project is being conducted across three Australian States, involving interviews/focus groups with women clients and services.

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