Economic violence is one of the most surreptitious forms of abuse inflicted upon women in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), directly affecting their financial independence, dignity, and ability to make their own choices.
This form of violence is often overlooked and difficult to recognize, requiring new laws and ongoing support to help women overcome the challenges it poses, which they often can’t handle on their own.
Economic violence can include controlling income, denying access to money, or preventing employment, education, or professional development. This leads to victims’ complete dependence on their abusers and prevents them from leaving abusive relationships, seeking help, or starting new lives. These situations have serious psychological consequences, such as depression and anxiety.
Aca, a woman from Banja Luka (whose identity is known to Balkan Diskurs), experienced economic violence in a long-term relationship several years ago. While she worked and earned an income, her partner spent this money irresponsibly. This abuse still haunts her today.
“He would take money from me for rent, claiming he didn’t have any at the moment, and then go out with his friends as if he had no responsibility. When I asked him to pick me up after work, he would ask me to pay for his gas, as if I were taking money from him, not the other way around,” Aca recalled.
She says that she used to pay all of their bills. Her partner insisted on dining out, claiming he couldn’t eat the food she had prepared the day before or buy something from the bakery. At the time, Aca was working 12-hour shifts. “He never thought to ask if I was tired or if I could handle the expense. I felt humiliated. He took advantage of every effort I made, every sacrifice, and in the end, he left me as if nothing had ever happened,” she explained.
Aca notes that the psychological consequences of this relationship remain.
“I still feel the consequences of that experience – I feel manipulated, broken, as if nothing I did was ever enough. It taught me how important it is to recognize the signs and set boundaries, but the pain and feeling of humiliation never completely go away,” she emphasized.
Economic Violence Accompanies Other Forms of Abuse
Gordana Vidović, the director of the NGO Budućnost [“Future”], which opened the Republika Srpska’s first Safe House in Modriča, says that economic violence is far more prevalent in society than we might think. She believes this is due to a tendency to focus on addressing the immediate consequences of violence rather than its root causes.
“In acute situations, it is crucial to ensure the victim’s immediate safety and help them resolve and/or stabilize the problem. If we worked longer-term to empower victims, including by developing individual support plans, we would better understand that economic violence accompanies other types of abuse,” explains Vidović.
She observes a concerning pattern where women leave their jobs at the very beginning of a marriage or relationship under pressure from their partners, who convince them that their earnings are enough and that there is no need for the women to work.
“Many women decided on their own to leave their jobs because they couldn’t endure the constant surveillance and control, for the sake of ‘peace in the home,’ they chose to leave their jobs and fully dedicate themselves to the family in order to be ‘good wives.’ Many women, even those who were employed, had limited funds to spend on household necessities, and endured the torment of strict control over their spending, to the point that, over time, they stopped managing their income and left it to their husbands to avoid the torment,” says Vidović.
This issue is rarely discussed in public. Vidović emphasizes that it would be extremely helpful to give greater attention to the stories of women who have managed to escape violence and become economically independent, as their experiences can serve as inspiration and support for others in similar situations. However, stigma often makes women reluctant to speak out publicly about their abuse.
She recalled the case of a woman whose husband had abused her for years. Despite having completed high school and being fully capable of getting a job in a public institution, he didn’t allow her to work. They had children.
“The children grew up, finished school… She endured for the sake of the children. But when they became independent, she was left alone and found it increasingly difficult to bear her alcoholic husband, who would even make horrific threats in such states,” Vidović recounts.
After a particularly distressing incident, the woman ended up in a safe house. Her husband searched for her, and when he couldn’t find her, he committed suicide with his service pistol. After his death, a new hell began for her. Her husband had accumulated significant debts with various banks, primarily as a guarantor for people who had not repaid their loans. Her pension was blocked to pay off these debts. She also faced disputes with her husband’s family over the house they had built together on her father-in-law’s land, and thus also lacked secure housing. “With our support and the support of our donors, she started her own business. It wasn’t easy, but she succeeded and is now very successful. She is a great example of how one can succeed despite all hardships. However, she doesn’t want to go public with her story because she doesn’t want anyone to pity her. On one occasion, she told us, ‘Please, don’t call me a former victim anymore. Call me a successful entrepreneur, because I’m no longer a victim and I don’t want to remember that. It’s still too painful for me to talk about my life,’” recalls Vidović.
Non-governmental organizations, especially those operating safe houses, have started to focus on equipping women to acquire qualifications or re-train for certain professions, making them more competitive in the job market.
“Examples of good practice are already noticeable, as many women, after becoming economically empowered, have started their own businesses or found jobs in various companies. They began earning a living and secured means of survival for themselves and their children, which is crucial for breaking free from any kind of violence,” emphasizes Vidović.
Legal regulations addressing economic violence against women would make combatting this abuse significantly easier.
“We have been advocating for three decades for laws to address this issue, and with good legal measures in place, legally addressing economic violence probably wouldn’t be a problem. The real problem lies in the enforcement of laws and the fact that there is generally no funding for this vulnerable group,” emphasizes Vidović.
In many well-regulated countries, it is taken for granted that women receive comprehensive and continuous support.
“The state supports these women and constantly helps them in all situations, including through economic empowerment. We are aware that this is almost impossible in our country because the state is unable to address this issue in the long term,” Vidović emphasizes.
Psychologist Irena Đumić points out that economic violence involves controlling access to shared financial resources.
“This form of violence creates and deepens the victim’s dependence on the perpetrator, who gains control over their behavior and decisions. Victims lose self-respect, feel helpless and trapped, and experience increased depression and anxiety. This is a very powerful form of violence because it ties victims to the perpetrator. Because of this, they often don’t seek help or return to the abusive relationship, seeing no way out. Of course, it is even harder to leave such a relationship if the couple has children,” explains Đumić.
She explains that there are various socially imposed preconceptions that victims themselves often adopt, which keep them in abusive relationships. Đumić gives several examples:
“‘He takes care of everything – it means he loves me,’ where a woman allows the man to manage the finances, thinking this is a sign of care and love; or ‘A woman must get married – the relationship she enters is her choice,’ and if the partner turns out to be abusive, victims often decide to stay in the relationship, accepting their own responsibility, even though it may have been influenced by societal pressure.” She also highlights the belief that “children need a father,” despite the fact that a life free from violence is far more important than a father’s presence under these circumstances.
