Gita a 60 year old Indian women, lived with her four children and her husband. Although her husband worked full time he did not pay anything towards the household bills. When he got paid on Friday’s he would disappear all day and night spending his money in gambling. Gita had a joint bank account with her husband; where her benefits were paid into, which he would spend whenever he wanted to.  She was subjected to coercive behaviour and financial abuse due to gambling harms by her husband, but was too ashamed to tell anyone because of the stigma, and suffered in silence. In desperation came to our Centre when she saw one of our posters in the community.  

We provided her counselling with a multi-lingual counsellor, to address the anxiety, depression and shame she suffered due to her husband’s gambling. She also accessed our Freedom programme which helped her to recognise abusive behaviours and to identify healthy relationships. Through our welfare rights service she was able to set up a separate bank account so that she had more control of her own finances.  She is now able to manage better financially due to the support we provided and continues to work with us and other agencies.