Queensland Consolidated Acts

DOMESTIC AND FAMILY VIOLENCE PROTECTION ACT 2012 - SECT 12

12 Meaning of economic abuse

"Economic abuse" means behaviour, or a pattern of behaviour, by a person (the
"first person" ) that is coercive, deceptive or unreasonably controls another person (the
"second person" ), without the second person’s consent—

(a) in a way that denies the second person the economic or financial autonomy the second person would have had but for that behaviour; or

(b) by withholding or threatening to withhold the financial support necessary for meeting the reasonable living expenses of the second person or a child, if the second person or the child is entirely or predominantly dependent on the first person for financial support to meet those living expenses.

Examples—

• coercing a person to relinquish control over assets and income

• removing or keeping a person’s property without the person’s consent, or threatening to do so

• disposing of property owned by a person, or owned jointly with a person, against the person’s wishes and without lawful excuse

• without lawful excuse, preventing a person from having access to joint financial assets for the purposes of meeting normal household expenses

• preventing a person from seeking or keeping employment

• coercing a person to claim social security payments

• coercing a person to sign a power of attorney that would enable the person’s finances to be managed by another person

• coercing a person to sign a contract for the purchase of goods or services

• coercing a person to sign a contract for the provision of finance, a loan or credit

• coercing a person to sign a contract of guarantee

• coercing a person to sign any legal document for the establishment or operation of a business