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What is domestic violence?

  • Domestic violence, also known as family violence, is a pattern of abusive behaviours by one person towards another in an intimate relationship or within a family.
  •  It can include physical violence, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse, and other controlling behaviours.
  • Domestic violence is harmful and can have long-lasting effects on those involved.
  • If you or someone you know is experiencing family violence, it is important to seek help and support.

Domestic violence can happen to anyone

  • Domestic violence can happen to anyone, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, race, or socioeconomic status.
  •  It can occur in intimate partner relationships, marriages, parent-child relationships, sibling relationships, and other family dynamics.
  • Both men and women can be victims or perpetrators of family violence.
  • It is important to recognise that family violence is a serious issue that can affect anyone, and support and resources are available for those who need help.

What is financial abuse?

  • Financial abuse is a form of domestic violence where one person controls or exploits the other person’s finances to gain power and control in the relationship. 
  • Financial abuse can happen to anyone, but some people may be at greater risk, including older Australians, people with a disability, people with a mental illness or experiencing emotional challenges, or people who are socially isolated. 
  • It can also happen to people who are in good health – sometimes a person does not even realise they are being financially abused.

Recognising financial abuse

  • Financial abuse can be difficult to recognise. 
  • If not sure whether you are in a financially abusive relationship or not, ask yourself the following questions:
  1. Has your partner prevented you from spending or accessing your own money? 
  2. Does your partner give you an allowance to spend each week? 
  3. Do you have to provide them with receipts to prove how the money was spent? 
  4. Does your partner constantly criticise how you spend money? 
  5. Has your partner ever forced you to give them access to your bank accounts (log-in details, PINs and debit cards)? 
  6. Does your partner avoid responsibility for paying bills?
  7. Does your partner refuse to contribute to household expenses? 
  8. Has your partner ever insisted that loans or bills are in your name? 
  9. Has your partner prevented you from working or earning your own money? 
  10. Has your partner ever pressured you to work?

If you answered ‘yes’ to any of the questions above, you may be experiencing financial abuse.

How we can help 

Protecting your privacy 

We will protect your personal information in line with our Privacy Policy.

We can help you:

  • Change your online banking login details, passwords and PINs to help protect the security of your information. Please note this may not be appropriate in circumstances where a violent family member is controlling your finances using your details, and any change may be a threat to your safety.
  • Change arrangements for anything we may need to send to you. For example, by nominating the mailing address of a trusted family member or PO Box. 
  • Arrange for any new debit cards to be delivered for collection at your local branch.

Protecting your money 

We can help you:

  • Remove or change your online banking access. Note that this may not be appropriate in circumstances where this could cause a risk to your personal safety.
  • Cancel any additional debit cards. Please note that when a change is made, we are required to notify the primary cardholder of the change.
  • Understand your power of attorney arrangement, if you have one. If you have revoked an existing power of attorney or appointed a new attorney, we will update our records accordingly.

Controlling your finances 

We can help you:

  • Vary your loan repayments and / or extend the term of your loan.
  • Review your banking needs. 
  • Work through your financial arrangements and separate them from your family member. 
  • In some cases, we may refer you to an independent and free financial counselling service. 

How to get help

Emergency

  • Call 000

Family violence support

  • 1800RESPECT – A national family violence and sexual assault service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Tel 1800 737 732. www.1800respect.org.au
  • Family Relationship Advice Line – Information and advice on family relationship issues and parenting arrangements after separation, 8am-8pm Monday to Friday, 10am-4pm Saturday. Tel 1800 050 321. www.familyrelationships.gov.au/talk-someone/advice-line
  • Lifeline – Provides crisis support services, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Tel 131 114. www.lifeline.org.au
  • Centrelink – Provides payments, social work counselling and third-party referrals. Centrelink also provides crisis payments for victims of domestic violence or other extreme circumstance who have left their home and cannot return. www.humanservices.gov.au

 Advice and support 

  • 1800 ELDERHelp – Tel: 1800 353 374 (national free call phone number that automatically redirects callers seeking information and advice on elder abuse with local phone line services).
  • Elder Abuse Action Australia (EAAA) knowledge hub Compass – has information and resources available for older Australian and the broader community. www.compass.info/
  • National Legal Aid Family Violence Law Help – provides advice on domestic and family violence and the law in Australia. https://familyviolencelaw.gov.au/
  • Women’s Legal Service Australia – Provides face-to-face legal advice through outreach services and runs a partnership to provide family law advice through Family Relationship Centres.www.wlsa.org.au/ or www.familyrelationships.gov.au/

Finance, debt and legal issues 

  • National Debt Helpline – You can talk to a free and independent financial counsellor from anywhere in Australia by ringing 1800 007 007 https://ndh.org.au/ 
  • Legal Aid – Can provide advice on intervention orders, family law and civil / credit and debt matters. Find a legal aid commission at www.nationallegalaid.org
  • Community Legal Centres (CLC) – Can provide advice on AVOs, family law and financial counselling and other generalist civil law advice. Find a local CLC at www.naclc.org.au/

Interpreter services

  • Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) – Provides an interpreting service for people who do not speak English and for agencies and businesses that need to communicate with their non-English speaking clients. www.tisnational.gov.au/en/About-TIS-National
  • National Relay Service (NRS) – an Australia-wide telephone access service available to customers who are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Voice –1300 555 727TTY –133 677SMS –0423 677 767. https://www.accesshub.gov.au/

Complaints

Arab Bank Australia Limited
Mail: PO Box N645, Grosvenor Place, Sydney NSW 1220
Email: service@arabbank.com.au
Telephone: 1800 646 484 - Overseas callers: +61 2 9377 8900 Fax: 02 9221 5428

Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) is a free, independent dispute resolution scheme to deal with complaints from consumers and small businesses about financial services products. 1800 931 678. www.afca.org.au

For more information see the Australian Banking Association's Preventing and Responding to Financial Abuse Industry Guideline.