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IMPACTS
We’re reaffirming our commitment to taking a stand against financial abuse by supporting today’s release of the 2025 Respect & Protect Index.
The 2025 Index is the first community attitudes report to come from the Respect & Protect Initiative, of which we’re proud to be an early adopter and supporter.
The index shows:
- Three in four Australians want financial abuse protections from companies they deal with, and nearly a quarter (23%) are prepared to switch companies based on their actions to address this hidden and pervasive form of domestic and family violence.
- 96% of Australians agree companies should aim to protect customers from financial abuse.
- This is not just a women’s issue. 82% agree financial abuse protections promoted by the respect and protect public awareness campaign are relevant to all customers and 89% to all genders
- For many, it’s personal. 3 in 5 say financial abuse is an issue important to them personally, especially single parents (76%).
“We’re proud to have signed onto the Respect & Protect Initiative back in May 2024, which saw us update our terms and conditions to explicitly ban the misuse of our products and services for financial abuse and control.
Since then we have continued our dedication to making progress for all and creating safer communities. In October, we held our first roundtable with local businesses and leaders to begin to take proactive steps towards early detection and prevention of financial abuse in our region. We have also been working on improving our processes for detecting transactions being used as a vehicle for financial abuse.
We are proud to stand alongside other organisations in this initiative to raise awareness and drive meaningful change.” – Stephen Capello, Hume Bank CEO
Today, as we reaffirm our commitment, we’re also calling on businesses across all sectors to take action by reviewing their policies and joining the collective effort to address financial abuse.
Hear more from Hume Bank CEO Stephen Capello and Hume Bank Chair, Kerry Grigg on the issue of financial abuse below:
If you, or someone you know, needs support please contact the following organisations:
- The Women’s Centre for Health & Wellbeing (Albury/Wodonga)
- Orange Door (Victoria)
- Bettys Place Women’s Refuge
- White Ribbon Australia
- 1800RESPECT
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