Domestic, Financial Abuse and Coercive Control

How to get in Touch

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, contact An Garda Siochana right away. If you are at risk of harm due to ongoing abuse, please reach out to your local Garda Station or local domestic violence shelter.

Through your Davy Advisor

Arrange a meeting with through your advisor by arranging a prior appointment. We are here to listen, understand and support you.

How we can support you

Abuse can impact every aspect of your life, including your financial wellbeing. If you are experiencing abuse, we can help you protect your money and access further support.

We can:

• Help you understand the payments going in and out of your account.
• Reset your online Davy login details or issue new PINs.
• Explain your options if you have a joint account.
• Help you open a new account in your own name.
• Redirect your Davy correspondence to a safe address.
• Share details of other organisations that could help keep you safe and provide support.

How to contact Confidential support in Davy

Complete the online form below:

Financial and domestic support form

What are the signs of Abuse

Abuse can take many forms and may be carried out by a partner, family member, friend, or carer.

Domestic Abuse

This can include emotional/psychological, physical, sexual, or economic abuse used to gain or maintain power and control over a current or former partner or family member(s).

Coercive Control

Domestic abuse is not always physical. Coercive control is a persistent and deliberate pattern of behaviours by an abuser over time designed to restrict a person's freedom and autonomy. It includes tactics such as:

• manipulation
• gaslighting
• threats
• intimidation
• degradation
• isolation
• humiliation

All of these aim to achieve obedience and create fear.

Economic Abuse

A broader category than financial abuse. It targets a person's overall ability to be financially independent, now and in the future. It includes any way someone's financial freedom or independence can be controlled or harmed.

Financial Abuse

Occurs when someone directly controls, misuses, or takes another person’s money or property.

It often involves:

• coercion
• restricting access to money
• forcing financial decisions
• creating financial dependence

This can make it extremely difficult for someone to regain independence or leave the situation.

Signs of Economic/Financial Abuse

May include someone:

• Stopping you from having a job or going to work.
• Taking control of your Davy accounts or preventing you from accessing your account
• Withholding money or preventing you from buying essentials.
• Taking out credit cards or loans in your name without your consent.
• Making you explain what you’ve spent your money on.
• Spending your money without telling you.
• Pressuring you to change your will, property ownership, or other assets.

Organisations That Can Offer Support

• Get confidential support for victims of abuse from Women’s Aid
• Safe Ireland – provides guidance and support for those experiencing sex, gender, and sexuality based violence; includes contact details of 37 local domestic abuse services nationwide.
• Read the Banking & Payments Federation have a booklet on ‘Safeguarding your money now and in the future’
• Find out more from the HSE Safeguarding and Protection service for vulnerable adults
• The HSE also has information about elder abuse and the Safeguarding and Protection service.
• MABS (Money Advice and Budgeting Service) can also offer support with money advise, budgeting and problem debt

How Can I Keep My Money Safe?

Steps to help protect your finances:

• Be cautious about giving your personal account information to someone else; it’s only for you
• Keep your Davy passwords secure
• Update your login details for access to MyDavy & Davy Select
• Opt in for online statements and correspondence to prevent paper statements from arriving at home
• Revoke third-party access from your account if transactions are being made without your consent
• Grant third-party access to a trusted person who can help now or in the future by creating a Letter of Authority a Davy power of attorney or an ADMA agreement.

Davy takes no responsibility for the accuracy of information from third party websites