Domestic violence support

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. This coercive control or domination can be seen in behaviours including:

• Financial abuse – Forcing someone into debt by taking out loans they don’t want or know about. Taking control of their finances and not allowing access to family income.
• Emotional – Manipulating someone’s behaviour to feel bad about themselves, making them feel guilty or humiliating them. Making them feel that the abuse is ‘normal’.
• Psychological – Behaviour of a person to someone else that torments, intimidates, or is offensive to the other person.
• Physical – The application of physical violence by a person which causes injury to another person.
• Sexual – Any kind of sexual activity that is forced or coerced or tricked into doing when that person 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 not being allowed to participate in their own spiritual or religious practices or being forced to participate in spiritual or religious practices.
• Verbal – This can include yelling, swearing, demanding, or ordering. The use of threatening language, blackmail, constantly blaming the person, and manipulation are further examples.

How we can help

We can review your banking arrangements and assist you to make changes to help you keep your finances safe. This may include restricting your account, unbinding your devices, changing passcodes and updating your details.

If you have a shared account or a joint loan with your partner (or ex-partner), you’re both our customers.  If you have a joint loan, information about that loan (such as balances or payments you make) will be available to the co-borrower. We will assist in supporting and resolving matters with you as individuals where it is possible. We’ll treat any information that you give us about your situation confidentially.

Consider your personal safety before taking any steps and have a personal safety plan ready.

You can contact us on 13 30 80 (or +612 9070 0202 if you’re overseas). We’re available between 8 am and 8 pm Monday to Friday and between 8 am and 6 pm on Saturday and Sunday (Sydney time).

It is also important to keep your online banking and app secure. To learn more on protecting your security and privacy, you can visit https://www.ubank.com.au/security.

Our customers can access complimentary, professional, and confidential counselling sessions. Call 1300 574 759 to book an appointment.

If you’re experiencing financial difficulty, there are some ways we can help. Click here for more info.

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What is elder financial abuse?

This can occur when a trusted person misuses their position or causes financial harm to an older person. Financial abuse takes many forms. For example, the trusted person may:

• Transfer money to their account without permission
• Use the older person’s debit card or account without permission
• Demand monetary loans or gifts
• Force the older person to sign a new Will or appoint them as Power of Attorney/Enduring Power of Attorney
• Threaten to withdraw affection and assistance
• Forge the older person’s signatures
• Fail to pay the older person’s bills
• Steal property of the older person‍

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How we can help

Developed by the Australian Banking Association (ABA), the safe and savvy guide has been created to help you detect potential elder financial abuse, scams and fraud for both you and your loved ones.

The guide will help you understand:

• What elder financial abuse is, and why you need to be aware of it.
• How to recognise the types and signs of elder financial abuse.
• How to protect you and your loved ones against potential abuse both now and in the future.

Refer to the ABA guide on Elder Abuse.

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Other services

If there is an immediate threat to your safety call 000.

There are many free services available to you or someone you know experiencing financial abuse. These include:

• Access to 24-hour confidential information, counselling, and support, we recommend you call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732.
• Local support connecting people in need with housing, meal, money help, family violence support and more at AskIzzy.
• Access to 24-hour personal crisis support and suicide prevention services at Lifeline on 13 11 14. Independent not-for-profit community organisation that provides legal and related services to the public, focusing on disadvantage and people with special needs at National Association of Community Legal Centres.

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