Domestic Violence and Money

Today for Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we want to highlight some of the ways that money and finances come into play when it comes to domestic violence. The physical and emotional costs of domestic violence are fairly well known, but what about the financial implications of domestic violence for victims and society at large? Or the fact that financial control is often a tool of the abuser and a barrier to the victim's ability to leave the abusive situation? And we'd like to remind you of some of the financial supports that are available to Nova Scotians who have been subject to DV...

According to the Canadian Department of Justice in 2009, the economic impact of Domestic Violence is about $7.4 billion per year.  That estimate (which was considered at the time to be a conservative guess and is now 12 years old) included costs such as medical attention, lost wages, lost education, the value of stolen/damaged property, and pain and suffering (and sometimes loss of life) on the part of the victims, as well as social service operation costs, losses to employers, the negative impact on children exposed to spousal violence, and other government costs. 

As you can see, it can be incredibly costly for people who have been subjected to domestic violence to leave the situation. A reminder that Second Story is able to assist women and female-identifying Nova Scotians in Lunenburg and Queens Counties who need financial assistance to leave a domestic violence situation to access YWCA Halifax's December 6th Fund. The December 6th fund provides non-interest bearing microloans of up to $500 for housing-related costs (damage deposit, rent, power payments/arrears, moving or storage costs, and phone/internet payments). The loan repayment schedule is flexible, affordable and based on an individual's situation.  More info is HERE, or you can reach out to the Centre at [email protected] / 902-640-3044 to learn more or start the process.

Meanwhile, financial control is itself a form of abuse. As Dr. Nicola Sharp-Jeffs, an expert in economic abuse  points out, financial and economic abuse can take many forms, from pressuring someone to leave their job to make them financially dependent on their abuser to jeopardizing someone's employment with incessant phone calls or intentionally causing lateness. Domestic violence and finances are intertwined in so many ways.

Finally, as Dr. Nicola also mentions, one in five women have to take time off work because of Domestic Violence. We want to remind you that in Nova Scotia, employees are entitled to paid leave when they experience domestic violence, if they have been employed at their workplace for three months or more.

"Domestic violence leave can be taken by an employee who is experiencing domestic violence or whose child (under 18) is experiencing domestic violence.
The employee may take up to ten intermittent or consecutive days per calendar year. The employee may also take up to 16 consecutive (continuous) weeks per calendar year.
Up to three days of the leave must be paid by the employer.
To qualify for domestic violence leave, the employee must have worked with the employer for at least three months."

More details here:
novascotia.ca/lae/employmentrights/leaves

If you are being subjected to domestic violence: Harbour House in Bridgewater is our local transition house that offers shelter to women and children leaving domestic violence situations. They also offer free counselling to any survivors of gendered violence (including sexual violence, stalking, emotional abuse) and regardless of whether you have used their shelter services or not. Their 24 hour crisis line is 902.543.3999 / 888.543.3999.