Economic Abuse Linked to Fatalities Every Three Weeks in England and Wales
A shocking new analysis has revealed that economic abuse, a form of coercive control, is connected to the death of one victim every three weeks across England and Wales. The charity Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA) conducted the research, describing the findings as a critical wake-up call that highlights how this abuse extends far beyond financial matters to become a lethal danger.
Comprehensive Study Based on Domestic Homicide Reviews
The charity's comprehensive study examined over 400 formal Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs) conducted between 2012 and 2024. These reviews are initiated when someone aged 16 or older dies or is suspected to have died due to abuse, violence, or neglect from a current or former intimate partner, family member, or household member.
The analysis concluded that in cases involving both economic abuse and intimate partner violence, one individual died every 19 days. More than half of the reviews (51%, equivalent to 231 cases) involved economic abuse within the context of intimate partner violence, with the majority of victims being female and most perpetrators male.
Defining Economic Abuse and Its Deadly Impact
SEA clarified that economic abuse encompasses control over income, spending, bank accounts, bills, and borrowing. It also includes restricting access to essential resources such as transport, technology, property, food, and clothing. This form of abuse is not merely a financial issue but a central component of coercive control that can have fatal consequences.
Deaths resulted from either homicide or suicide, and the charity warned that the actual number of fatalities is likely higher. Many victims may have experienced economic abuse that was not identified or properly recorded in the official reviews, suggesting a significant underreporting problem.
Alarming Demographic Patterns and Systemic Gaps
The report identified troubling demographic patterns among victims. Those suffering from economic abuse tended to be younger, with an average age of 40, compared to victims in other domestic abuse cases who averaged 52 years old. This indicates that economic abuse particularly affects younger individuals in abusive relationships.
Furthermore, the charity noted that review panels identified economic abuse in fewer than half of the 231 cases where SEA believed it was present. This points to substantial gaps in professional recognition and understanding of this specific form of abuse, despite a statutory definition of domestic abuse that includes economic abuse coming into effect in 2021.
Charity Leaders Issue Urgent Calls for Action
Sam Smethers, chief executive of SEA, emphasized the gravity of the situation. "This report should be a wake-up call. Economic abuse is not just a money problem – it is central to coercive control, and it kills," she stated. "Every three weeks, a victim dies because of an abuser who uses economic abuse as a tool for control. But the true toll of economic abuse is likely to be much higher."
Smethers connected the statistics to real human tragedies, referencing the annual reading of women killed by men in Parliament by minister Jess Phillips through the Counting Dead Women project. She explained that while some women are directly killed by abusers, others die by suicide, often linked to ongoing economic abuse and a feeling of having no escape.
"The evidence is clear: economic abuse is a serious risk factor for homicide and suicide," Smethers asserted. "We cannot wait for another woman's life to be lost. With the Government committed to halving violence against women and girls within a decade, all agencies must act urgently to identify economic abuse early, effectively support victims, and close the gaps that allow perpetrators to exploit their systems."
Support from Other Advocacy Organizations
Frank Mullane, chief executive of the Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse (AAFDA) charity, described the report as "striking" in revealing "significant gaps in professionals' knowledge of economic abuse." Drawing from personal experience, he shared that his own sister experienced this form of abuse over two decades ago, but at the time, there was no language to name it or shared understanding of its impact.
As someone bereaved by a double domestic murder and a former assessor of Domestic Homicide Reviews, Mullane has witnessed how easily economic abuse can be overlooked and how agencies might inadvertently allow it to continue. He particularly welcomed SEA's call for Home Office guidance to specify how organizations like financial institutions should engage with DHRs, describing this as "particularly crucial."
"I wonder what my late sister and nephew and other victims of fatal domestic abuse would think of this report," Mullane reflected. "My hope is that it marks a turning point, that professionals recognise the huge and ruinous impact of economic abuse and take action to protect survivors and save lives."
The Home Office has been contacted for comment regarding the report's findings and recommendations. The charity's research underscores the urgent need for coordinated action across all agencies to better identify economic abuse, support victims, and prevent further fatalities from this hidden but deadly form of coercive control.
