Central government efforts to tackle domestic economic abuse
(RiR 2025:6)
Summary
The Swedish National Audit Office has examined whether the central government’s efforts to tackle domestic economic abuse are effective. Economic abuse is a form of domestic violence that involves taking power over and controlling another person’s finances, or in various ways exploiting and destroying their assets.
The overall conclusion is that there are significant shortcomings in the efforts of the central government. The Government and government agencies have not taken adequate measures to tackle economic abuse. The Government has not paid sufficient attention to the problems inherent in domestic economic abuse. Furthermore, the Government has not systematically followed up on the need for legislative measures, despite the existence of regulations that facilitate perpetrating economic abuse and that fail to provide adequate protection for victims. Moreover, the general state of knowledge of the extent and nature of such abuse is fragmentary.
Sweden ratified the Istanbul Convention in 2014 and has therefore committed to tackling economic abuse. The consequence of having neglected this work is that overall protection against economic abuse and support for victims is currently inadequate. Victims are at risk of suffering long-term financial problems and ill health, making it harder to leave a violent partner.
Central government has neglected efforts to tackle economic abuse
The Swedish National Audit Office’s audit shows deficiencies in the Government’s management. The Government has not equated economic violence as a form of abuse – to physical, psychological and sexual violence. There is no mention of economic abuse in the national strategy to prevent and combat men’s violence against women. The Government has not made it sufficiently clear to government agencies that they must work to tackle economic abuse, and has not followed up on which agencies are addressing the issue. Nevertheless, many government agencies have embarked on such work, although it is still in the early stages and the level of knowledge among employees is generally low. Several government agencies have recognised the risk of potential exploitation in the perpetration of economic abuse. While physical violence is a priority in criminal investigations, economic abuse is rarely investigated as a form of domestic violence.
Government rarely considers economic abuse in the legislative process
The Swedish National Audit Office’s audit shows that some legislation facilitates the perpetration of domestic economic abuse, and that there is a lack of regulation that safeguards against falling victim to such abuse. These include criminal law, eIDs, loans and lending, rules for division of property and common child maintenance payments. It is the assessment of the Swedish National Audit Office that the Government has not sufficiently taken account of risks of economic violence in the legislative process. In general, despite indications of problems, economic violence is rarely considered in government instructions and bills. Consequently, there is a lack of knowledge on the need for measures based on the requirements imposed by the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combatting economic violence.
Victims are not given adequate protection or support
The audit shows that overall safeguards against falling victim to economic abuse, and support for victims, are currently inadequate. This concerns matters such as the ease with which a perpetrator can take control of a partner’s entire finances using an eID, and a lack of requirements for loans and lending. In addition, opportunities are limited for cancelling debts that stem from economic abuse. Various civil proceedings can also be used to continue to perpetrate economic abuse after the relationship has ended and the possibilities for legal assistance in these contexts are limited. Victims can be left unable to support themselves for a long time when, for example, an abuser withholds maintenance payments or locks the victim’s capital into a home by unduly protracting a division of property. All in all, this can make it difficult for victims to defend themselves against economic abuse and escape its consequences.
Recommendations
The Swedish National Audit Office recommends that the Government:
- instruct an appropriate government agency, in collaboration with relevant agencies, to identify how abusers are able to exploit government agencies to perpetrate domestic economic abuse.
- identify the need for, and propose, legislative measures and other actions to tackle economic abuse and mitigate its consequences for victims.
- ensure that economic violence is duly considered in legislative processes where relevant.
- include economic violence in the national strategy on combating men’s violence against women and clarify which government agencies should engage in efforts to tackle economic abuse, and in what way.
The Swedish National Audit Office recommends that government agencies:
- ensure that employees have the knowledge and understanding of economic abuse they need in their work.
- ensure that appropriate procedures are in place to prevent and tackle economic abuse. This may include identifying vulnerability to economic abuse in contacts with citizens, or preventing the government agency’s procedures from being exploited by abusers.