Nine years ago, the Royal Commission into Family Violence in Victoria tasked the Essential Services Commission with creating regulatory protections for utility customers affected by family violence. This paper outlines how an essential services safety by design framework can be applied to identify and mitigate safety risks related to domestic and financial abuse.

This paper highlights testimonials from women who have shared their experiences of financial abuse relating to general insurance. These personal accounts provide a sobering glimpse into the challenges they encountered and highlight the need for systemic change. The paper aims to provide a blueprint for industry and regulatory action.

This discussion paper is the first in a series of papers that will look at how the finance sector can minimise harm from the misuse of its products by perpetrators of domestic violence. The paper calls for financial products to better support financial safety.