Dust Yourself Off and Start Again: How Do Recovering Victims of Financial Abuse Regain Marketplace Autonomy and Rebuild their Identities?

Financial abuse refers to the coercive control and exploitation of an individual's economic resources by another individual, inhibiting their victim's ability to make financial and purchasing decisions (Scott, 2023). Financial abuse is a growing concern, with most abuse victims reporting some form of financial abuse (Littwin, 2012). Instances of abuse have increased since the COVID-19 pandemic (Havard, 2021).

Victims may suffer a loss of identity, with risks of subsequent depression, illness and suicide (Loring, 1998). The impacts of financial abuse are only recently receiving attention, and policymakers have highlighted a need for greater understanding of the issue (Women's Aid, 2022).

This project aims to develop new understandings of how consumers restore their identities and rebuild their lives following abuse, focusing specifically on the long-term impact of financial abuse. Consequently, this proposal fits with the ESRC research priorities for Improving Health, Wellbeing and Social Care, Improving Public Services, Population and Society, and Economy, and the Business and Management Pathway research strengths for Public Management, Services, Health and Innovation research.

This research sits within Lancaster University Management School's Social Justice research stream, and the Marketing department's research interests in consumer behaviour, consumer vulnerabilities, social responsibility, and ethical consumption.