Post-separation abuse and the Domestic Violence Bill
Previously, post-separation abuse or coercive control had not been included in the draft Domestic Violence Bill, and limited legislation to those who were still living together. The new amendment removes the requirement for abusers and victims to be living together for an offence to take place. This will be a great relief for victims trying to extract themselves from coercive controlling partners, and prevent what one survivor described as their ex-partner’s
“Ongoing, indefinite power to destroy our lives”.
The new Controlling and Coercive amendment extends the offence of controlling or coercive behaviour to include post-separation abuse where ex-partners no longer live in the same house. It also now covers family members who no longer live together with their abuser, such as children. The new amendment, championed by Baroness Lister in the House of Lords, has been widely welcomed by ministers and campaigners alike:
“Controlling or coercive behaviour is an insidious form of domestic abuse that can destroy lives. I am pleased that the offence is being extended so we can protect more victims and send a clear message to perpetrators.”
Safeguarding Minister Victoria Atkins
“We’re absolutely delighted the government is criminalising post-separation abuse via an amendment to the Domestic Abuse Bill. By doing so, victims will receive the recognition they need and deserve. Post-separation abuse is a devastating form of coercive control and the economic abuse elements of this can continue for decades. Legislation is the first essential step on the path to eradicating it and preventing future homicides.”
Dr Nicola Sharp-Jeffs OBE, Founder & CEO, Surviving Economic Abuse.
For the latest details on the progress of the Domestic Abuse Bill, see the parliament website.
Post-separation economic abuse
Post-separation abuse often involves economic abuse (financial manipulation) where the perpetrator continues to control and influence their ex-partner through financial means, such as running up debt, denying access to funds, or not paying Child Maintenance despite being able to.
This can also exist in more subtle forms, such as:
- Refusing to pay for extra costs for the children
- Demanding an unrealistic level of financial support and then using the children in the process
I often see parents struggling to fund all of the children’s activities, extra clothing and school uniform costs, with one parent thinking the child maintenance would cover everything. Similarly, I often see one parent feeling they have to over compensate and pay inflated financial support to ensure they are perceived to be a good parent. This ongoing manipulation causes extreme harm on both the short and long term.
The charity Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA) says that one in four women who escape from domestic abuse in their home then suffer ongoing economic abuse after their relationship has ended. As the charity explains:
“Economic abuse generally consists of an abuser exercising control over the survivor, through denying access to economic resources such as money, and sabotaging economic resources or exploiting them, so as to create economic instability and prevent a survivor from rebuilding their life safely and independently.”
In an article for Grazia magazine the CEO of Surviving Economic Abuse charity expands on this, explaining how victims can be paying off coerced debt for years. Coerced debt results from an abusive partner forcing the victim to take out loans, mortgages and credit cards in their own name, saddling them with debt even after separation. The charity calculates that economic abuse victims owe around £23.5 million per annum, with each repayment a painful reminder of their years of abuse.
