Economic violence

Najat's story

Najat immigrated to Canada after marrying Faïq.

He controlled every aspect of their lives. He managed all the bank accounts and paid all the bills. Najat was not allowed to leave the house and was constantly criticized for the way she raised their two children.

After ten years of marriage, Najat was determined to free herself from Faïq's control. So she left her husband. After his departure, Najat began to make plans to rebuild her life. But she was in for some nasty surprises...

When she checked her credit report, she discovered that her husband had taken out loans in her name, without her knowledge!

In addition to caring for herself and her two children, Najat now has a crushing debt to manage. Luckily, a local ACEF helped her. Her debt payments are now budgeted for. She lives well and her children want for nothing.

Jenny's story

Jenny is a bachelor's student in psychology.

She lives with her parents to minimize her expenses during her studies. But her parents are very controlling with her. In addition to supervising her social activities, they manage Jenny's personal finances entirely. Although Jenny works part-time in a restaurant chain, she has to hand over the money she earns to her parents.

Recently, Jenny intercepted a letter addressed to her from the university. She was informed that her school fees were overdue. She was worried about the situation, but didn't dare ask her parents for fear they would become angry.

Fearing that she won't be able to continue her studies, Jenny finally talks to her mother. She discovers that all the money she gave them went to pay rent and food, and that there's nothing left for her.

Jenny decided to move in with a friend and, with help, built up her financial independence. Today, she has a career in psychology, but is unfortunately no longer on good terms with her parents...

Suzanne's story

Suzanne is a successful professional.

For a long time, she hid the pain of her marriage to Jean. She hoped the violence would stop, but despite all his promises, Jean continued to be very controlling and contemptuous of her. Suzanne constantly had to ask Jean's permission to make the slightest expenditure. What's more, she had no idea how much they jointly owned.

After 15 years of marriage, Suzanne has decided to leave Jean. She doesn't know how to separate their assets and financial responsibilities. When Jean announced his departure, he emptied their joint account, leaving Suzanne with no access to cash. She's afraid no one will believe her, and she doesn't want her colleagues to find out she's a victim of economic violence.

Luckily, Suzanne found help at a women's center. There, she was able to find support and a listening ear, without judgment. Today, Suzanne has lost some of her material possessions, but she has regained her self-confidence. She now manages her finances, travels and saves!

Doris's story

Doris is a low-income single mother.

18 months ago, she lost her job because her husband kept harassing her at work. He called her several times a day and visited her during working hours. This situation affected her performance at work, and her employer had to let her go.

Since then, Doris has left her partner and started from scratch. To support herself and her three children, she now has to rely on welfare benefits. Doris isn't sure how to make ends meet without going into too much debt. She'd like to find a full-time job, but looking after her children alone is already asking a lot of her.

A friend helped her and told her that local job centers could help her find a suitable job. After a short training course, Doris now has a full-time job. With her network of friends, they exchange clothes and toys for the children.