Financial Domestic Abuse in Divorce: The Hidden Crisis

Domestic abuse can take many forms, and one of the lesser-discussed yet highly damaging aspects is financial abuse. This issue, often ignored in the family justice system, is now being highlighted in a new report from Resolution, a leading organisation representing over 6,500 family law professionals. The report sheds light on the “elephant in the room”—the significant impact of domestic abuse on financial proceedings in divorce cases.

Resolution’s research, conducted by its Economic Abuse Working Party, reveals that financial abuse is prevalent in the majority of domestic abuse cases. Shockingly, more than 80% of family law professionals feel that courts fail to adequately account for domestic abuse when determining financial settlements. This problem extends to cases involving children and cohabiting couples.

The report calls for urgent reforms to better protect victim-survivors, ensuring they are treated fairly in divorce and financial remedy proceedings. This includes increased access to legal aid, tackling ongoing financial control by abusive partners, and creating a collaborative approach across the legal profession to safeguard vulnerable individuals.

For a more in-depth exploration of this important issue, you can read the full article on Resolution’s website here.