Australia is grappling with a domestic violence crisis that carries an enormous financial burden while devastating countless lives. According to leading analyst Conrad Liveris, the economic impact of this national emergency reaches staggering proportions that demand immediate attention and action.
The Shocking Economic Toll of Family Violence
Domestic and family violence costs Australia approximately $3.4 billion every single year, a figure that should alarm every taxpayer and policymaker. This massive sum represents just the quantifiable economic impact, excluding the immense human suffering that cannot be measured in dollars.
Conrad Liveris, an expert in workforce and money matters, emphasizes that this financial burden affects all Australians regardless of whether they directly experience violence. The costs permeate through healthcare systems, social services, lost workplace productivity, and law enforcement responses to what Liveris describes as a "national emergency."
Economic Abuse: The Hidden Dimension of Control
Beyond physical violence lies another insidious problem: economic abuse. Liveris reveals that around 16,000 people, predominantly women, experience economic abuse each year in Australia. This form of control involves perpetrators denying victims access to money, preventing employment, or accumulating debt in their names.
"Economic abuse is a common and devastating part of domestic violence," Liveris explains. "It leaves victims financially trapped and dependent, making escape seem impossible when they have no access to money or resources."
The manipulation often extends to controlling bank accounts, sabotaging job opportunities, and creating financial dependencies that maintain power imbalances within relationships. This financial entrapment frequently continues even after victims manage to leave violent situations.
Systemic Failures and Practical Solutions
Liveris identifies critical gaps in Australia's response to domestic violence, particularly around financial independence for survivors. He notes that escaping violence requires more than just physical safety—it demands economic security that many victims cannot achieve alone.
Practical measures could significantly improve the situation, including making emergency funds more accessible and reforming financial systems to better protect victims. Liveris suggests that banks and financial institutions should implement more flexible policies for those experiencing domestic violence, such as easier access to emergency funds and protection from coerced debt.
Workplaces also play a crucial role in addressing this crisis. Employers can support staff experiencing domestic violence through flexible working arrangements, security measures, and connecting them with appropriate services. Creating economic opportunities for survivors represents a vital component of breaking the cycle of abuse.
Liveris argues that treating domestic violence as both a social and economic issue would lead to more effective solutions. Investing in prevention and support services not only saves lives but makes economic sense by reducing the massive financial burden on public systems.
The solution requires coordinated action across government, businesses, financial institutions, and communities. As Liveris compellingly demonstrates, domestic violence isn't just a private tragedy—it's a public crisis with consequences that ripple through every aspect of Australian society.
