Supporting people experiencing domestic and family violence

What is domestic and family violence?

Family violence refers to any behaviour that controls or dominates a family member in any way, or causes them to fear for their own, or another person's, safety or wellbeing. The family relationship can be between people of the same or opposite sex, a parent and a child, or siblings and other relatives. Domestic and Family Violence can include abuse that is:

• Financial - Making someone ask for money or giving them an allowance. Taking their money or forcing them to take out loans they don’t want or don’t know about. Not letting them know about or have access to family income.
• Emotional - Making someone feel bad about themselves. Calling them names. Making them think they’re ‘crazy’ and that the abuse is ‘normal’. Humiliating them. Making them feel guilty.
• Psychological - Behaviour by a person towards another person that torments, intimidates, harasses or is offensive to the other person.
• Physical - A physical assault occurs when a person uses physical violence and causes injury to another person’s body.
• Sexual - Any kind of sexual activity that someone is forced, coerced or tricked into doing when they didn’t want to.
• Spiritual - When someone uses spiritual or religious beliefs to hurt, scare or control someone. It can involve someone or their children being forced to participate in spiritual or religious practices or refusing to allow them to participate in their own spiritual or religious practices.
• Verbal – Verbal abuse can include yelling, swearing, demanding or ordering, threatening language, blackmail, constantly blaming a partner and manipulation.

What is financial abuse?

Financial abuse is where an abuser uses money or finances to control the other person. The most common forms of financial abuse include:

• Someone being forced to take on debt they don’t want.
• Withholding or threatening to withhold a reasonable amount of money (for example, what’s needed to run the household).
• Stopping access to money so the other person can’t leave the relationship.
• Transferring a property or other assets out of the person’s name.
• Trying to ruin a person’s credit rating by not paying debts.

Financial abuse is a crime in most states of Australia. The Australian Government’s MoneySmart, opens in new window website has a range of information about financial abuse and how to get support. 

NAB has zero tolerance of financial abuse

• We aim to protect you from financial abuse carried out on your personal accounts or through our electronic banking channels.
• If we identify (or are made aware of) unacceptable account conduct, we’ll investigate and act.
• We’ll reasonably exercise our rights under the account agreement if we believe we need to protect you or another person from financial abuse.
• We may suspend, cancel or deny an account holder access to a product or its features.

If you’re concerned about your banking safety, call our dedicated team on +1300 308 175.

How to keep your finances safe 

If you’re experiencing financial abuse there are ways to keep your finances safe. Before taking any of these steps consider your personal safety and have a safety plan, opens in new window ready.

If you contact NAB, we’ll treat any information that you give us about your situation confidentially. However, any information about a joint loan (such as balances and payments that you make) will be available to the co-borrower. Domestic and family violence is a very complex and personal issue, and it takes a lot for someone to disclose their situation. We want to support you through this difficult experience.

If you have particular concerns about your privacy let us know and we can put extra security on your accounts.

It's important to remember that if you and your partner (or ex-partner) have joint loans or accounts with us, then you're both our customers. We will assist in supporting and resolving matters with you as individuals where possible, even when it relates to joint matters.

Protecting your finances while you’re in a relationship

There are many financial things to consider when you're in a relationship where family violence exists. It’s best to talk to a specialist family violence worker about your options and what steps you should take.
 
For many people, setting up their own transaction account is an important step in their safety planning. You can use this account to save emergency money and, when it’s safe to do so, direct your salary and government payments to this account. Banks are obligated to send you statements and letters regarding your accounts in the mail, so consider choosing to receive your statements and letters online, or ask a trusted friend if you can nominate their address as your mailing address.

Protecting your finances when you leave a relationship 

It can be hard to know where to start when leaving a violent relationship. Here are some tips for taking control of your financial situation:

• Change your PIN, phone banking and internet banking passwords.

• Set up SMS security on your accounts through internet banking or by calling us on [CF].

• If you’ve changed addresses, notify us of your new address. We’ll keep this information confidential. If you’re staying somewhere short-term or have a temporary address, consider changing your mailing address to a trusted family member or friend, or requesting online statements.

If you haven't already, set up a transaction account in your own name. When it’s safe to do so, you can use this account to save money and direct your salary and government payments to this account. 

Having trouble making repayments?

If you’re experiencing financial difficulty or hardship, you may wish to appoint a third party to assist you, such as an independent Financial Counsellor or Community Legal Aid lawyer. A third-party authority can communicate with us on your behalf and negotiate re-payment arrangements.

We only accept third party authorities for licensed financial counsellors and legal aid representatives we can authenticate. Once in place, a letter of authority remains until you give us notice it has ended.

National Debt Helpline, opens in new window is a not-for-profit service that provides free, independent and confidential financial counselling to help people tackle their debt problems and get back on track.

If you would like to add a third party to your accounts, you can complete a Letter of Authority (LOA) (PDF, 104KB), opens in new window with your representative.

Get assistance if you’re receiving abusive banking transactions

Banking transactions are increasingly being used to commit forms of abuse, including domestic and family violence. An abusive banking transaction is when someone transfers money, often a very small amount, and uses the transaction description or reference field to harass, threaten, abuse or send unwanted messages. NAB has a team available to support our customers who may have received abusive banking transactions. If you’ve received abusive banking transactions and need support, please contact us on +1300 308 175 or nab.customer.support@nab.com.au.

If you have joint accounts or debts 

Joint accounts and debts that have been set up during a relationship need special attention when you have escaped a violent relationship, especially debts that are in both of your names. It’s important to know that:

• Funds held in joint bank accounts are owned by both people on the account.

• Debts in joint names are owed by both borrowers. When debts are in joint names, both account holders are responsible for repaying the full amount of the loan (known as joint and severable liability).

We will work with both customers in joint accounts and debts, but we can’t mediate a property settlement on your behalf. We recommend you seek legal advice for this. You can contact various legal services for free information about the law and how they can assist you.

If you have a joint loan with us, you can ask for hardship assistance without the permission of the other borrower. We’ll consider a request for assistance from either of you. We will keep the reasons for your request confidential, however we do need to notify other borrowers and guarantors of the outcome of your financial hardship request. You can speak to us about how we’ll keep your personal information safe and protect your privacy.

If you’re having difficulties making your payments, call  NAB Assist  on 1800 701 599. We have a range of options that may help if you’re experiencing financial hardship.

This is general information, so we recommend you seek legal advice for specialist advice about a property settlement and your rights in joint accounts and debts. You’ll also need to seek specialist advice about your superannuation and life insurance policies. View other support services that may be available to help.