Financial abuse is one of the most common—and least recognized—forms of abuse. It is often used to gain power and control, limiting a person’s ability to make choices, access resources, or live independently.
Financial abuse can include controlling access to money, preventing someone from working, stealing or misusing funds, running up debt in another person’s name, or monitoring every financial decision. While it often occurs alongside other forms of abuse, it can also happen on its own—and its impact can be long-lasting.
At Younity, we recognize financial abuse as a critical issue affecting people of all ages and backgrounds. It is not limited to intimate partner relationships. Financial exploitation can also impact older adults, particularly when caregivers, family members, or trusted individuals misuse money, pressure someone to sign documents, or isolate them from financial decision-making.
Financial Abuse as Power and Control
Like other forms of abuse, financial abuse is rooted in power and control. By limiting access to money or information, an abusive person can make it harder for someone to leave an unsafe situation, seek help, or rebuild independence.
The effects can follow people long after the abuse ends—through damaged credit, debt, lost employment opportunities, or ongoing financial instability.
Education, Prevention, and Financial Independence
Younity’s Education & Prevention Program offers workshops that help community members recognize the warning signs of financial abuse and understand how it fits within broader patterns of control.
For clients seeking support, Younity collaborates with Isles to provide financial education and coaching. Through this partnership, clients can access tools and guidance that support budgeting, credit repair, and long-term financial stability—key steps toward independence and safety.
Why Awareness Matters
Understanding financial abuse helps people name what they are experiencing, seek support earlier, and protect themselves and others. Awareness also plays an important role in supporting older adults, who may be particularly vulnerable to financial exploitation.
During National Financial Wellness Month, we encourage everyone to learn more about financial abuse, share resources, and help build pathways toward safety and independence.
Key National Statistics on Financial Abuse
99% of people who experience domestic violence also experience financial abuse
Source: National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV)
Financial abuse is one of the leading reasons survivors stay in or return to abusive situations
Source: National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV)
Older adults lose billions of dollars each year to financial exploitation, often by someone they know
Source: National Council on Aging (NCOA)
Abusers frequently use debt, credit damage, and employment interference as tools of control, creating long-term economic harm
Source: Allstate Foundation – research on the economic impact of abuse
