Key Evidence

Women are more likely to report experiencing digital and financial abuse than men.

Safety, harassment, and abuse significantly undermine women’s ability and willingness to engage with financial services. Evidence from diverse contexts shows that women face higher rates of financial coercion, online harassment, and fraud, including pressure to take loans on their partners’ or others’ behalf, abusive payment interactions, and widespread digital threads. These erode trust and limit control over financial resources, leading women to withdraw from digital spaces or avoid deeper engagement, reinforcing gender gaps in the adoption and sustained use of digital financial services.

• One in five women experience financial abuse compared to one in seven men. (Royal et al., 2022) 
• In Jordan, it is common for women to be pressured to take out loans on behalf of their husbands, limiting their control over the funds. This practice is reinforced by legal and social norms, where women are historically regarded as financially dependent on men. (Women’s World Banking, 2026)
• In low- and middle-income economies, about 7% of adults (9% of mobile phone owners) report experiencing digital harassment such as offensive messages, photos, or videos. In some sub-Saharan African countries, reported harassment rates reach 20% of mobile phone users. (World Bank, 2025)

Financial abuse and technology-facilitated gender-based violence have profound and lasting impacts on women’s economic security, reinforcing cycles of dependence and exclusion.

Evidence shows that financial and digital abuse is linked to increased debt, damaged credit, and reduced ability to meet basic needs, as well as heightened risks of physical harm and limited ability to leave abusive situations. These experiences often force women to scale back or withdraw from digital and financial systems altogether, undermining their financial independence and long-term well-being.

• Studies consistently show significant links to increased hardship, debt, financial dependence, and damaged credit. Women, in particular, find difficulty in escaping abusive relationships due to their lack of financial independence. (Royal et al., 2022; Johnson et al., 2022)
• The Commonwealth Bank of Australia estimates the economic cost of financial abuse is $5.7 billion annually. Survivors also face long-term financial consequences, with 60% reporting difficulties meeting basic living expenses, emphasizing the deep and lasting impact of financial abuse on economic security. (Fitzpatrick, 2022)
• Financial abuse deprives women of financial independence and security and are also linked to physical safety: women who experience financial abuse are five times more likely to experience physical abuse. Financial abuse reinforces power imbalances and exposes gaps in protections within financial systems. (Grameen Foundation, 2025; Royal et al., 2022)