Dr Mercy Denedo, associate professor of accounting at Durham University Business School.

“….there’d be three grand missing and coming out. I’d check some of the bills, there would be three grand missing and I’d say there’s three grand missing, oh you know, something. When I’d check it, don’t know where that money went, you know. It would come to a head and I’d say you’re gambling again, aren’t you, and then he’d [claim] oh I’m so stressed, my work, nobody understands me. I’m just like, here we are again and I’m so deflated, my whole life and suddenly you feel knitted into that relationship yet again…not only financially – because if I’d left at that point I would have been held responsible for the debt also. Then it would be me [divorcing him and] taking it forward and I didn’t have the money to even go and see a solicitor….”
(Fran, participant with lived experience)

This quote highlights how financial abuse linked to gambling harms can create significant economic dependency and barriers to leaving abusive relationships, reinforcing victim-survivors’ vulnerability and prolonging their exposure to harm. Where perpetrators controlled household finances and restricted access to financial information, women described being unaware of the extent of debts, arrears and other financial damage until a crisis point was reached.

Read the full article from HQM here.