In a significant stride towards combating the insidious pervasive issues of domestic and financial abuse, AXA UK has officially partnered with Women’s Aid to launch a comprehensive support pathway for survivors and an illuminating public awareness campaign. This groundbreaking collaboration, titled "What They Say. What We Hear," aims to equip AXA UK’s customer-facing teams with the expertise to recognise the subtle, often hidden, signs of financial control and abuse, providing a direct lifeline to specialist support through Women’s Aid. The initiative underscores a growing recognition within the corporate sector of its critical role in addressing societal challenges that extend beyond traditional business parameters.
Unmasking Financial Abuse: The ‘What They Say. What We Hear’ Campaign
Financial abuse, a potent yet frequently unacknowledged form of coercive control, often leaves victims isolated and without the means to escape abusive relationships. It is a calculated tactic designed to limit a person’s access to money, assets, and resources, thereby stripping them of their independence and autonomy. This can manifest in various ways, from controlling income and bank accounts to accumulating debt in a victim’s name, sabotaging employment, or dictating spending. Research from organisations like Refuge and Women’s Aid consistently highlights that financial abuse is present in a vast majority of domestic abuse cases, estimated to affect millions across the UK. For instance, data from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and various charities indicates that approximately one in five adults in the UK has experienced financial abuse at some point in their lives, with women disproportionately affected.
The "What They Say. What We Hear" campaign directly confronts the subtlety of financial abuse by translating seemingly innocuous everyday phrases into their true, often sinister, meanings within the context of an abusive relationship. For example, an abuser might say, "Why do you need to work? I can provide for us," which, on the surface, might appear caring. However, the campaign reveals this could be a hidden sign of financial control, aiming to isolate the victim from their income and career independence. Other examples might include: "You don’t need your own bank account, we share everything," which could mask an intention to control all finances, or "Don’t worry about the bills, I’ll handle them," which can lead to a victim being unaware of their financial situation, including accruing debt.
By shining a light on these deceptive linguistic patterns, AXA UK and Women’s Aid aim to empower individuals, both potential victims and the wider public, to recognise these indicators. The campaign materials, accessible via AXA UK’s website and public communications, provide concrete examples and explanations, fostering a deeper understanding of how financial control operates. This public awareness component is crucial, as early recognition can be a vital first step towards seeking help and breaking free from abusive cycles. The campaign’s innovative approach not only educates but also serves as a direct invitation for those experiencing such control to connect with a robust support system.
A Collaborative Vision: The Genesis of the Partnership
The partnership between AXA UK and Women’s Aid is not merely a corporate social responsibility initiative but a deeply considered strategic alignment, leveraging the strengths of both organisations. AXA UK, as a leading insurance provider, has millions of direct insurance customers across various lines of business, including home, car, and travel insurance. Its extensive customer touchpoints, primarily through call centres and online interactions, position it uniquely to identify individuals in distress. Women’s Aid, on the other hand, brings over 50 years of specialist expertise in supporting survivors of domestic abuse, advocating for policy change, and providing life-saving services.
The genesis of this collaboration stemmed from a shared understanding of the profound impact of domestic abuse, particularly financial abuse, on individuals’ lives and their ability to manage essential services like insurance. Recognizing that customers might interact with AXA UK at moments of vulnerability or crisis – such as needing to claim for a damaged property or change policy details – presented a unique opportunity for intervention. The co-design process of the support pathway was rigorous and trauma-informed, ensuring that every element was developed with the survivor’s safety, dignity, and empowerment at its core. This involved extensive workshops, consultations, and pilot programmes, marrying AXA UK’s operational capabilities with Women’s Aid’s deep understanding of abuse dynamics and survivor needs. The goal was to create a pathway that was not only robust and practical but also deeply empathetic and effective in its response to sensitive disclosures.
The Trauma-Informed Support Pathway: A New Model in Action
At the heart of this partnership lies the newly implemented, trauma-informed support pathway, now fully operational across all AXA UK services for its direct insurance customers. This pathway is a significant departure from conventional customer service models, embedding specialist domestic abuse awareness and response capabilities directly into customer-facing operations.
A key component of this pathway is the creation of a dedicated network of "Domestic Abuse Champions" within AXA UK’s customer phone lines and other interaction points. These champions have undergone intensive, specialist training delivered by Women’s Aid. The training curriculum is extensive, covering:
- Recognising Signs of Abuse: Equipping staff to identify subtle verbal and non-verbal cues that may indicate a customer is experiencing domestic or financial abuse, even if they don’t explicitly disclose it initially. This includes understanding the patterns of coercive control.
- Trauma-Informed Communication: Training staff to communicate with empathy, sensitivity, and non-judgment. This means understanding the psychological impact of trauma, avoiding victim-blaming language, and creating a safe space for disclosure.
- Safety Planning Principles: Providing champions with a foundational understanding of immediate safety considerations for survivors, without attempting to replace the role of specialist support services.
- Responding Safely and Effectively: Teaching protocols for handling disclosures, ensuring the safety of the caller and the staff member, and maintaining strict confidentiality. This includes techniques for de-escalation and managing potentially volatile situations.
- Navigating the Referral Process: Detailed instruction on how to activate the dedicated referral pathway to Women’s Aid, ensuring a seamless and secure transition for the survivor to expert external support.
Once a potential survivor is identified or a disclosure is made, AXA UK’s Domestic Abuse Champions follow a carefully designed referral protocol. This protocol prioritises the survivor’s safety and wishes, ensuring that information is handled with the utmost discretion and confidentiality. The process is designed to be as seamless as possible, connecting the survivor directly to Women’s Aid’s specialist support services, which can include crisis intervention, refuge accommodation, legal advice, and long-term recovery planning. This direct link bypasses potential barriers to access, such as navigating complex helplines or fearing judgment, thereby reducing the burden on individuals already in crisis. The "warm handover" approach ensures that the survivor feels supported and understood at every step.
Empowering Independence: The Survivor Support Fund
Beyond the critical referral pathway, AXA UK has demonstrated an exceptional commitment by establishing a dedicated Survivor Support Fund. This fund represents a tangible and immediate source of assistance for individuals referred through the programme, addressing a crucial gap in support for those fleeing abuse. Financial insecurity is one of the most significant barriers for survivors seeking to leave abusive relationships. Often, they lack access to funds for emergency accommodation, transport, essential items, legal fees, or even securing new identity documents if these have been withheld or destroyed by an abuser.
The Survivor Support Fund is designed to provide direct financial aid for these immediate, crisis-driven needs. While specific figures for the fund have not been publicly disclosed, its establishment signifies a profound commitment from AXA UK to provide practical solutions. Examples of how the fund might be utilised include:
- Emergency Accommodation: Covering costs for safe, temporary housing for a survivor and their children.
- Travel Expenses: Funding transport to a refuge, a new safe location, or to essential appointments.
- Basic Necessities: Providing for food, clothing, and toiletries in immediate post-escape situations.
- Security Measures: Assisting with changing locks or other home security enhancements.
- Administrative Costs: Helping with fees for new documents (e.g., passports, driving licenses) or legal advice.
- Deposits for New Housing: Contributing to the costs of securing independent living arrangements.
This direct financial intervention is not merely about money; it is about restoring agency and providing the concrete tools necessary for survivors to rebuild their lives free from fear and control. It acknowledges that escaping abuse is often a perilous and resource-intensive journey, and that immediate financial stability can be the difference between staying in an abusive situation and achieving independence.
The Pervasive Challenge: Understanding Domestic and Financial Abuse in the UK
The launch of this initiative takes place against a backdrop of alarming statistics regarding domestic and financial abuse in the UK. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), an estimated 2.4 million adults aged 16 to 74 experienced domestic abuse in England and Wales in the year ending March 2023. Of these, 1.7 million were women and 700,000 were men. While physical and emotional abuse are widely recognised, financial abuse often remains in the shadows, making campaigns like "What They Say. What We Hear" all the more vital.
Charities such as Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA) highlight that financial abuse can have long-lasting consequences, impacting credit ratings, housing options, and employment prospects, effectively trapping individuals in cycles of poverty long after they have escaped the direct abuse. The average cost for a woman to leave an abusive relationship and rebuild her life is estimated to be in the thousands of pounds, a sum often unattainable for those whose finances have been systematically controlled.
In this context, the role of corporations, particularly financial institutions, is becoming increasingly critical. Regulators like the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) have also been urging firms to do more to support vulnerable customers, including those affected by domestic abuse. This partnership sets a precedent for how businesses can move beyond compliance to proactively integrate social responsibility into their core operations, transforming customer interactions into opportunities for meaningful intervention and support.
Leadership Voices: Commitment from AXA UK and Women’s Aid
The leaders of both organisations have articulated their profound commitment to this partnership. Sophie Duggan, Partnership and Development Manager at Women’s Aid, expressed immense pride in the rapid achievements of the collaboration. "We’re incredibly proud of what this partnership has achieved in such a short time," she stated. "AXA UK’s willingness to invest in training, create a clear pathway, and provide direct financial support shows a genuine commitment to protecting and empowering survivors. Together, we’re ensuring that people who disclose abuse are met with understanding, expertise, and real, practical help." Her comments underscore the deep, collaborative effort that has gone into making this initiative a reality and the significant impact it is expected to have.
Echoing this sentiment, Tara Foley, AXA UK & Ireland CEO, emphasised the company’s foundational purpose. "As a business, we aim to protect what matters most and we have a valuable role to play in supporting our customers when they’re in need," she added. "That’s why with expert guidance from Women’s Aid, we have trained our call centre teams to support those who disclose that they are experiencing domestic abuse and offer practical assistance. Working together we want to empower everyone to recognise the signs of abuse and help them find the words to seek help when they need it most." Foley’s statement highlights AXA UK’s broader vision of customer protection, extending it to encompass the most vulnerable circumstances their customers might face. It signifies a shift from purely transactional interactions to a more holistic approach to customer well-being.
Broader Implications and a Path Forward
This pioneering partnership between AXA UK and Women’s Aid holds significant implications, potentially setting a new benchmark for corporate engagement in social issues. By embedding domestic abuse support directly into customer service operations, AXA UK is demonstrating a scalable model that could be replicated by other financial institutions, utility providers, and businesses with extensive customer interaction points. The success of this initiative will undoubtedly inspire similar collaborations, fostering a wider ecosystem of corporate support for survivors.
The long-term goals of this partnership extend beyond immediate crisis intervention. They include fostering greater public awareness, reducing the stigma associated with domestic and financial abuse, and ultimately contributing to a society where individuals have the resources and support to live free from violence and control. The continuous training and evaluation built into the programme will ensure its effectiveness and adaptability, allowing for refinements based on real-world feedback and evolving needs of survivors.
In an era where corporate social responsibility is increasingly scrutinized, AXA UK and Women’s Aid have delivered a powerful example of how purposeful partnerships can translate into tangible, life-changing support. This initiative is a testament to the idea that businesses, when guided by expert non-profits, can be potent forces for positive social change, transforming moments of vulnerability into opportunities for empowerment and safety.
To find out more about the project and AXA UK’s ‘What They Say. What We Hear’ campaign, please visit: https://www.axa.co.uk/about/inside-axa/domestic-abuse/
If you are interested in Women’s Aid’s work with corporate partners, please visit: https://womensaid.org.uk/get-involved/give/become-a-corporate-partner/
