One in eight women has been subjected to economic violence in a close relationship – and it can be assumed that the dark figure is even larger.
It can involve everything from taking full control over someone's economy to delaying a division of property or limiting opportunities for education, work, or maintenance.
Sharp Criticism
However, despite the problem being widespread, the state is failing in its work against economic violence. This has been found by the Swedish National Audit Office. In a new review, sharp criticism is directed at both the government and the relevant authorities.
In the government's case, they have not followed up on the need for legislative measures to prevent and mitigate the consequences for those affected. They have not directed the work effectively, nor clearly integrated economic violence into the national strategy against men's violence against women, says Ludvig Stendahl, project leader for the review.
It has also not been clear which authorities should work with this, or how.
In the review of the state's work, the Swedish National Audit Office has made inroads in several areas where they have identified significant risks of being subjected to economic violence, such as division of property and maintenance for common children.
The simplest example is to force someone to hand over their PIN code to a phone and a bank ID, then you have the entire internet bank in your hand. PIN codes and biometric information are security-adapted based on the assumption that the violence, or threat, comes from outside the home. But if the person who wants your information is in your home, then a PIN code is not a real protection.
The Government Has a Responsibility
In the review, the Swedish National Audit Office submits several recommendations to the government and the relevant authorities.
We recommend that the government maps out the need for legislative measures. But also other types of measures that prevent risks and mitigate the consequences for those affected. The government should also investigate how authorities are used to exercise economic violence against relatives, says Stendahl.
He continues:
It is important that this type of violence is highlighted. The government has a responsibility in its governance to ensure that relevant authorities initiate work against this. And the authorities have a responsibility for their own knowledge development.
By economic violence in close relationships, we mean taking control over someone else's economy, or exploiting or destroying someone's assets.
It can, for example, involve taking someone's money, taking out loans in someone else's name, or otherwise indebting someone. It can also involve making division of property or maintenance difficult.
Economic violence often goes hand in hand with physical violence. At least three out of four women who have sought support for physical violence in close relationships have also been subjected to economic violence.
Source: The Swedish National Audit Office
