One economic abuse victim dies every three weeks, new report says
Economic abuse, a common form of coercive control, is linked to the death of a victim every three weeks in England and Wales, new analysis reveals.
The charity Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA) described the findings as a “wake-up call” and stressed that such abuse was “not just a money problem” but a significant danger.
Their comprehensive study, based on more than 400 official death reviews between 2012 and 2024, concluded that one person dies every 19 days in cases involving both economic abuse and intimate partner violence.
SEA explained that economic abuse includes control over income, spending, bank accounts, bills and borrowing, as well as restricting access to basic resources such as transport, technology, property, food and clothing.
The charity analyzed Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHRs), which are carried out when a person over the age of 16 dies or is suspected to have died as a result of abuse, violence or neglect by a current or former partner, a relative or a member of the same household.
Its findings revealed that the majority of victims were women and most perpetrators were men, with more than half (51% or 231 reviews) involving economic abuse “in the context of intimate partner violence.”
But the charity said panels detected economic abuse in less than half of the 231 reviews the charity thought had been identified.
They also said that victims of this type of abuse tend to be younger, with an average age of 40, compared to an average age of 52 in all other cases, including domestic violence.
The deaths were caused by murder or suicide, and the charity said the number of deaths was likely to be higher because some victims may have suffered economic abuse that was not mentioned or recorded in the review.
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While the legal definition of domestic abuse under the law, which highlights that domestic abuse can also include economic abuse, comes into force in 2021, the charity said “further work is needed to raise awareness of economic abuse and provide training to improve understanding among local panels.”
SEA chief executive Sam Smethers said: “This report should be a wake-up call. Economic abuse is not just a money issue, it is at the heart of coercive control and it kills.”
“Every three weeks, a victim dies from an abuser using economic abuse as a tool of control. But the true cost of economic abuse is likely to be much higher.
“These are not just statistics. Every year, we hear the names of women killed by men read out in parliament as part of Minister Jess Phillips’ Counting Dead Women project.
“Some women are killed directly by their abusers; others die by suicide, often tied to ongoing economic exploitation by the perpetrators and the feeling that there is no way out.
“The evidence is clear: economic exploitation is a serious risk factor for murder and suicide.
“We cannot wait for another woman’s life to be lost.
“With the government committed to halving violence against women and girls within ten years, all institutions need to take urgent action to detect economic exploitation early, support victims effectively and close the gaps that allow perpetrators to exploit systems.
“Only through coordinated and consistent action can we protect survivors and prevent more lives from being stolen.”
Frank Mullane, chief executive of the charity Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse (AAFDA), said the report was “striking” in revealing “significant gaps in professionals’ knowledge about economic abuse”.
She added: “Over 20 years ago, my own sister experienced this type of abuse, but we did not have the language to name it or a shared understanding of its impact.
“As a double domestic homicide survivor and a former assessor for Domestic Homicide Inquiries, I have seen how easily economic abuse can be overlooked and how institutions can unwittingly allow it to continue.”
He particularly welcomed the SEA’s call for Home Office guidance, which said it was “particularly important” how organizations such as financial institutions interact with DHRs.
She added: “I wonder what my late sister, my niece and other victims of fatal domestic violence will think of this report. I hope this will be a turning point, that professionals will recognize the huge and devastating impact of economic abuse and take action to protect survivors and save lives.”
The Ministry of Internal Affairs was contacted for comment.
