What we do
CWES engages in a range of activities to support better outcomes for women experiencing economic abuse.
Support
Money Clinics
CWES Money Clinics support women experiencing finanical and economic abuse, or financial hardship or insecurity as a result of domestic and family violence. The clinic provides a female financial counsellor to answer money questions for free, in confidence, and without having to provide a real name, address or contact details. (An email address is required to access the online Money Clinic).
There is no charge to attend and there are no stupid questions at the Money Clinic!
Money Clinics offer individual appointments online to women anywhere in Australia with access to the internet, and in-person in locations around Sydney and Melbourne. You can make a booking online.
If you would like to find out more, or you would like to be able to offer Money Clinics to people accessing your service, please get in touch with us.
Financial Safety Website
The Financial Safety website offers factual financial information with a family violence lens. It is aimed at people concerned about finances in their relationship or concerned about someone they know.
The website includes a national Directory of Services that may be able to assist people navigating financial and economic abuse and the many associated challenges, as well as links to apps, tools and Guides that can support people with their finances.
While the site is predominantly aimed at women, it includes information that is relevant to anyone experiencing abuse from a partner, family member or other member of the household.
Lived ExperiEnce ADVISORY Panel
The panel is made up of women, non-binary and gender diverse people with lived experiences of economic abuse in the context of domestic and/or family violence. Their lived experience insights inform the work of CWES in multiple ways including: Providing case studies, informing policy, providing feedback, participating in design, public speaking and advocacy or participation in research and other activities.
TRAINING & AWARENESS-RAISING
Economic Abuse Awareness Day – 26 Nov
CWES coordinates for Economic Abuse Awareness Day in Australia and invites other organisations and individuals to get behind the effort to improve recognition of, and responses to, domestic economic abuse.
Economic Abuse Awareness Day is held the day after the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls and within the 16 days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence.
In the lead up to 26 November, CWES will produce a toolkit for organisations to draw from in support of the awareness campaign.
Economic Abuse Awareness Day began in Canada in 2019 when the Canadian Centre for Women’s Empowerment (CCFWE) called for greater recognition of the issue. In 2021, Australia joined the campaign along with CCFWE, Surviving Economic Abuse (UK) and Good Shepherd (NZ) to mobilise resources nationally and internationally in recognition of economic abuse.
Training
The Centre for Women’s Economic Safety provides workplace training in economic abuse to organisations who want to better understand this insidious from of abuse. We can tailor our training to suit your sector and circumstances. Learn more about our training or contact us to discuss your needs.
Advocacy
We advocate with all levels of government, industry and community to promote social, service and system changes that support women’s economic safety and opportunity. This includes calling for products to be redesigned with financial safety by design, and improving responses to victim-survivors.
Explore our work through our Submissions & statements, Publications and Videos.
Get Help
If you're worried you might be experiencing economic abuse, or you’re concerned about someone else, please explore the CWES Financial Safety site for information and services that may be able to help.