Women’s Aid notes increase in financial abuse

FESTIVE season stress often trigger violence and abuse at home and there has been a notable increase of financial abuse in recent times, Women’s Aid has said.

According to the Deirdre Campbell, manager of the free national helpline, examples of this financial abuse include withholding money for Christmas presents and food; withholding child maintenance; and forcing the woman to take debt in her name to meet the family’s financial needs.

Ms Campbell said while domestic violence is a feature of life throughout the year, at Christmas, the extra pressures which are placed on women and their families can exacerbate domestic violence incidents.

One woman who called the helpline spoke of her desperation of her situation with her husband.

“He would even turn off the lights when he left the room — never mind that myself or one of the kids was still in there. I finally had the courage to separate — to escape all of the control — and he hasn’t paid maintenance since then so it has been really hard to manage. Christmas is such a scary prospect with the girls still expecting Santa.

“Now my husband has promised them the sun, moon and stars and they are so excited but he has told me that there will be nothing for them if he can’t come back and have Christmas ‘as a family’. He will tell them that it is mammy’s fault Santa won’t come. My stomach is in knots and I can’t sleep; I feel so manipulated and I have to face my children having no Christmas unless he gets his way.”

* The Women’s Aid Helpline, is open from 10am-10pm, 7 days a week (except Christmas Day) 1800 341 900.