Sexually Transmitted Debt

Sexually transmitted debt is where one person in a relationship becomes responsible for their partner’s financial debts usually after being convinced or misled into taking on debt in their own name, sharing the responsibility, or taking on more risk than they knew about.

Nationally, one in six women and one in 14 men have reported being the subject to economic abuse, that in some cases have left them homeless and penniless.

The subtle signs of economic abuse include:

• Finances being controlled against your will.
• The withholding of money
• One partner tracking the other person’s spending online.
• Restricted access to their own accounts
• One partner creating debts in the other partners name.
• Forced to work in the family business for no pay.
• No input into major financial decisions.
• Preventing a partner from getting a job and financial independence.
• Preventing a partners from studying and furthering their education.