About me
My purpose
My passion for working on ‘all things economic abuse’ came from conversations with women survivors. I heard how economic control took away their freedom and stopped them from achieving their full potential.
I discovered that there were no practice responses to economic abuse - it wasn't even named in policy. So, in 2008, I undertook the first piece of research on economic abuse in the UK to understand the issue better. This led me to develop the Economic Power & Control Wheel, which demonstrates the variety of tactics abusers use. The Wheel is now used widely in practice and across the globe and has been translated into several languages.
I have since conducted extensive research into economic abuse in the UK and internationally, including as an Emeritus Research Fellow in the Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit at London Metropolitan University. My book 'Understanding and Responding to Economic Abuse' was published by Bloomsbury in 2022.
Creating change
In 2016 I was appointed a Churchill Fellow, travelling to Australia and the US to learn about approaches to economic abuse. Having seen what could be done, I was determined that women in the UK should have access to the same.
Inspired by this international learning, I founded the charity Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA) in the UK which I led as the Founding CEO between January 2017 and May 2024. During this time, I pioneered innovative practice, policy, regulatory and legislative approaches to economic abuse. These include successfully advocating for change to primary legislation to both recognise economic abuse and criminalise post-separation abuse.
Key to my approach was influencing systems change in the financial services sector. I worked with UK Finance to develop the Financial Abuse Code (2018, 2021, 2025), which guides firms in their work to support survivors.
Recognition
I was awarded an OBE for services to victims of domestic and economic abuse in the 2020 Queen's Birthday Honours.
In 2022 I was runner up for the Saskia Jones Award at the Criminal Justice Awards, celebrating people who are working to transform criminal justice.
Going global
In May 2024 I took my vision global. I am now an Expert Advisor to the International Finance Corporation (IFC) housed at the World Bank. I am also co-funder and Head of Secretariat for the International Alliance to End Economic Abuse. I undertake consultancy and am currently focused on building relationships and sharing expertise with global partners.
Recognition
