Am I experiencing Economic GBV?

When someone holds back your money, stops you from working, or is promoted, limits your access to things like technology and transportation, or controls how you handle your finances, that’s a form of economic gender-based violence (GBV).

It is not just about money, it’s taking away your independence and making you rely on the person hurting you. Without access to your phone or laptop as an example, you are cut off from opportunities or resources, making it harder to control your own life and break free from the situation.

Denial of educational opportunities

• “Saka ka na mag-college para ang kuya/nakababatang lalaking kapatid mo ay matapos na agad at makahanap ng magandang trabaho.”

Emasculation

• “Because my partner feels that his ego has been hit, he constantly tries to dominate me and my life decisions.”

• “Because my partner feels that his ego has been hit, he constantly tries to dominate me and my life decisions.”

• “Ako ang padre de pamilya rito kaya ako pa rin ang masusunod sa kung paano gagamitin ang pera.”

Retaliation through womanizing

• “My partner uses family money to support a new relationship for making more money than my partner.”

Structural violence

• “I work in a male-dominated company where I’ve noticed that I’m often overlooked from promotions or important projects because I am a woman.”

• “I work in a company where I’ve noticed that I am often treated unfairly or excluded from opportunities just because of my gender identity”.

Denial of work opportunities or the gender discrimination in hiring

Discrimination in hiring and denying women and LGBTQ individuals their rights to work put them at a disadvantage of not being employed. These include requiring them to complete unnecessary documents and activities that are not required in male applicants/workers (Eaton, 2022).

• “Sorry. Hindi kasi kami nag-ha-hire ng single moms. Alam mo naman siguro na highly competitive ang trabaho rito at hindi kaya ng kumpanya na mag-take risk.”;

• “When we hired you, we expected so much from you because men are usually strong in [stereotypically male-dominated fields].”

Sometimes, discrimination is disguised as concern for your comfort or ability to adjust, masking the underlying bias

• "Alam mo, napansin ko lang na medyo challenging talaga itong field para sa mga LGBTQ. Baka lang mahirapan ka sa dynamics ng team or sa environment, kasi hindi ito usual na field na pinapasukan nila. Gusto lang namin siguraduhin na magiging comfortable ka."

Misuse of power

This usually happens when a supervisor or one with a higher position uses their authority to deliberately cause you discomfort and eventually make you leave your job.

• “I was moved by my boss to another site after rejecting his proposal to court me.”

• “My colleagues and boss do not like the fact that I am pregnant, hence the greater load of work given to me.”

Sugar dating

This usually happens when a supervisor or one with a higher position uses their authority to deliberately cause you discomfort and eventually make you leave your job.

• “I entered a transactional relationship where I am a “sugar baby” with a “sugar daddy/mommy” relationship, and I feel as if I have no right to say “no” to them even if I do not agree with their request.”

Limited access to resources

• "My spouse has all the access to our joint bank account and refuses to give me any say in how our savings are used, even though I contribute to it."

• "My partner dictates how much of my monthly income I can use, often leaving me with barely enough for basic necessities."

Parental control over queer children’s finances and documents

• "My parents refuse to give me access to my birth certificate and valid IDs, insisting that I don’t need them because they will provide for me. They say it’s for my own good, claiming they don’t want me to get hurt or mocked by others for being a transman. Without these documents, I can’t apply for jobs or manage my own finances, leaving me trapped and fully dependent on them for everything.".

Denial of financial or medical aid

• “After coming out as gay to my parents, they stopped paying for my college tuition and refused to cover my medical expenses, saying that if I continued living ‘that lifestyle’, I won't receive any financial support from them. This has left me struggling to afford my education and basic healthcare, forcing me to rely on others or give up on my goals.”

Denial of civil rights

• “Given that we are queer, my partner was denied food aid, monetary aid, and other pandemic relief aid during the Covid-19 lockdown as they were not recognized as a “family””

• “An insurance company disapproved our application, as a same-sex couple, to assign each other as our beneficiary for a specific insurance even if the Philippine Insurance Commission released a statement that LGBTQ+ partners can be each other’s beneficiaries”

Unfit for work/ Sabotage of Employment

• “My partner deliberately makes me sick or hurt to render me “unfit for work” in order to make me unable to find a job or unable to keep working.”

• “My partner also makes sure I don’t get enough rest by keeping me up at night, deliberately affecting my health and performance at my job. By making me physically unfit to work, my partner ensures that I remain dependent on them financially, trapping me in a situation where I can’t leave or support myself."

• "Whenever I have an important meeting, my partner picks a fight with me the night before, making me too emotionally exhausted to focus at work."

Coerced Debt

• "My partner convinced me to sign for a loan under my name, but they’re the one using the money. Now, I’m stuck paying off the debt, and my partner refuses to help with the payments."

Joint Loan for Personal Expenses

• "We took out a joint loan to renovate the house, but my partner spent the money on personal luxuries instead. Now, I’m being held responsible for the payments.”

Credit Card Debt

• "My partner pressured me into getting a credit card in my name, promising to help with the payments. Now, they’ve maxed out the card on things I didn’t agree to, and I’m left with the debt while they refuse to take responsibility."

Partner’s Education

• "I stopped schooling because my partner convinced me to support them financially while they were in school, saying that once they graduated, we’d both benefit and I could finish my education after them. I took on extra jobs and sacrificed my own needs to help them complete their studies. Now that they’ve graduated, they’ve left me, and I’m left struggling with the financial burden I took on for their education, while my own dreams were put on hold."

Non-compliance with child support

• “My ex-partner/ex-spouse refused to provide our children with the financial support they need”

Irregular Support

• "My ex-partner only sends money for our child's needs when they feel like it, and it’s always a small amount. When I ask for more support, they say they’re short on cash, but I know they’re spending it on themselves."

Using Excuses to Avoid Payments

• "Every time I ask for child support, my ex-partner makes excuses, saying they’ll send it 'next week' or that they have other expenses to take care of. Meanwhile, our child’s school fees and daily needs are piling up."

Favoring Another Family

• "My ex-spouse stopped sending child support altogether, saying they need to focus on their new family. They prioritize the children from their new relationship, leaving our child without the financial support they need."

Non-Monetary Substitution

• "Instead of giving money for our child’s school needs, my ex sends gifts or toys, saying it’s the best they can do. This leaves me covering all the actual expenses while they claim they’re doing their part."

To read and understand more about these acts of gender-based violence, you may access this:

GBV Prevention & Response Materials