“You Can’t Plan to Leave Under the System”: Experiences of economic abuse and seeking support for separation

Glinski, Jennifer (2024) “You Can’t Plan to Leave Under the System”: Experiences of economic abuse and seeking support for separation. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

As has long been recognised, leaving an abusive partner is a complex process rather than a singular event and rather than asking the question ‘Why doesn’t she just leave?’, those supporting victims/survivors need to consider the substantial barriers that women have to overcome before leaving is a viable option. Despite the acknowledgement that the lack of financial and economic resources present significant barriers to separation, economic abuse, the form of abuse responsible for the depletion of these resources, remains understudied. As a result, little is known about victims/survivors’ identification of economic abuse, the financial strategies they undertake to facilitate separation, and the financial support they seek and receive from services. Furthermore, it is understood that social security benefits are often the only source of income for victims/survivors leaving an abusive partner, it is therefore important to understand how social security policies exacerbate or mitigate victims/survivors’ financial viability. This study therefore examines 1) women’s experiences of economic abuse and the impact this has on their ability to leave an abusive partner; 2) how economic abuse is understood and conceptualised by professionals, and 3) how financial safety nets are constructed at the policy and practice levels.

This thesis draws on semi-structured narrative interviews with female victims/survivors (n=30) and focus groups with professionals who support them (n=51) across a range of metropolitan, regional, and rural locations in Scotland. Through the application of the concept and framework of ‘candidacy’ to the participants’ experiences, this thesis highlights the shortcomings in the identification of economic abuse and the lack of financial support available. It is the first to apply the candidacy framework to victims/survivors of economic abuse and those supporting them, resulting in refinements to the framework as well as a significant theoretical contribution to the wider help-seeking literature. It also provides novel insight into economically abusive tactics perpetrated postseparation which prevent victims/survivors from rebuilding their lives. These tactics have been captured in the ‘Post-Separation Economic Abuse Wheel’ - a resource which is now utilised internationally by victims/survivors and practitioners.

The thesis concludes that there is scope for policy and practice application of the findings which could enhance the identification and responses to economic abuse to help victims/survivors regain economic independence and security.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Subjects: H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman; H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare; J Political Science > JN Political institutions (Europe) > JN1187 Scotland
• Colleges/Schools: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences
• Funder's Name: Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
• Supervisor's Name: Mackenzie, Professor Mhairi, Brooks-Hay, Dr. Oona and Minton, Dr. Jon
• Date of Award: 2024
• Depositing User: Theses Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:2024-84517
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 30 Aug 2024 14:57
• Last Modified: 30 Aug 2024 15:12
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.84517
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/84517