Postseparation Financial Abuse Perpetrated Through Government Systems

A Survey of Australian Mothers’ Experiences of Child Support

Bibliographic Data

ID6459798
AuthorsK Cook (0000-0002-0894-2815, Swinburne University of Technology), Adrienne Byrt (0000-0002-5422-1082, Swinburne University of Technology), Terese Edwards (Single Mother Families Australia, Adelaide, Australia), Rachael Burgin (0000-0003-0030-5229, Swinburne Law School, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia)
Year2024
Volume31
Issue12-13
Pages3355-3379
Publication date2024-09-19
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueViolence Against Women (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1077-8012 • E-ISSN: 1552-8448
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/10778012241280057
PMID39295535
OpenAlexW4402643455
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited31

Financial abuse is a form of violence that can extend well beyond intimate partner relationship breakdown. A survey of 540 Australian separated parents examined how financial abuse was perpetrated, with a focus on child support and other government systems. Women reported that their ex-partners minimized and withheld child support payments to inflict direct financial harm, while interactions between the family court, taxation, and benefit payment systems were taken advantage of to threaten or control them. Findings revealed how the mandatory and complex Australian child support system provided perpetrators with a useful means of perpetrating financial abuse across households

Business · Child abuse · Child support · Domestic violence · Government (linguistics · Harm · Medical emergency · Payment · Poison control · Political science · Suicide prevention · Family Dynamics and Relationships · Homelessness and Social Issues · Human Factors and Ergonomics · Intimate Partner and Family Violence · Law · Medicine · Psychology · Social Psychology · Finance

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Open DOIOpen Access