Specialist Training in Financial Resilience for Domestic Violence Services
What We Did
Irish Banking Culture Board (IBCB) and member banks partnered with the Think-tank for Action on Social Change (TASC) and Safe Ireland to provide bespoke financial resilience training to support victims of domestic violence. The training was facilitated by retired Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) staff with the IBCB’s member banks co-facilitating on key topics. The training was delivered using a ‘Train the Trainer’ approach. Please watch this short video from a bank staff member to hear more about the initiative.
TASC / Safe Ireland Initiative
The training programme ran across four cycles from October 2022 to March 2023 and was designed to build skills and knowledge in financial resilience for specialist domestic violence keyworkers who work directly with victims of domestic abuse.
The aim was to allow them to support victims of financial abuse and coercion more effectively. 36 women working with Safe Ireland member organisations across Ireland completed the training.
The training took place online across eight sessions. During these sessions the nature and impact of financial abuse was highlighted and discussed, relevant services were signposted, and staff were supported in developing the ability to help Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (DSGBV) victims plan and manage their finances.
Session 1: Key concepts of economic control, financial abuse, and financial coercion
Session 2: Identifying and assessing financial abuse and coercion
Session 3: The cost-of-living crisis and strategies for managing bills and planning for the future
Session 4: Budgeting and saving
Session 5: Debt and credit, with an emphasis on managing debt incurred in abusive relationships
Session 6: Benefits and risks of using online tools and services
Session 7: National supports and entitlements
Session 8: Making a plan for financial recovery
Why we did it
Women who experience financial abuse are impacted in the long term and have an increased risk of:
Poverty
Employment Instability
Debt
Poor Credit Rating
Poor Mental Health
Housing Instability, Homelessness
Being forced into unwise, dishonest or criminal behaviour in order to afford necessities.
Project partners Safe Ireland estimate that that over 90% of victims of domestic violence in Ireland also experience financial abuse and improving financial awareness is a key enabler for victims to move on in their lives.
Improving financial resilience across
Irish DSGBV Services
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15,000 Service Users
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39 Support Services
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4 Groups
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36 Participants