Economic abuse is a factor in 95% of domestic abuse cases, and HSBC is providing professional training to more than 4,000 employees to make all its branches safe spaces for people experiencing domestic abuse. The message from HSBC is clear – a lack of access to funds or not having a bank account should never be a barrier to escaping an abusive relationship.
Safe Spaces
HSBC offers a safe space for domestic abuse victims in all of its UK branches
Client
- HSBC
Office
- London
“When an abuser controls your finances, they control you” is the provocative tagline for this campaign from VML
Mike Watson
Creative Director
Financial abuse occurs in 95% of domestic abuse situations. Which means that escaping an abusive relationship isn’t as simple as walking out the door – regaining control of your finances is vital if you want to break free.
HSBC UK have a platform in place – the 'No Fixed Address Service' – to help the homeless regain their financial independence. The service was expanded to help those facing domestic abuse regain their financial independence as well, and all of the bank’s branches were turned into Safe Spaces so that people could ask for help safely and confidentially.
We brought the power domestic abusers hold over their victims to life with an experiential billboard. The headline “When an abuser controls your finances, they control you” sits above a performer who is being controlled like a puppet by a giant, menacing hand.
HSBC UK continues to expand the ways in which it helps people who have lost control of their finances regain their financial independence. We've already received an incredible reaction from people praising and celebrating the work, shining a light on the problem that includes people sharing their brave and moving personal stories. Supporting victims of domestic abuse is the clearest possible demonstration of HSBC's brand purpose 'Opening up a World of Opportunity' and, as such, contribute to increased brand trust by showing how the bank is taking responsibility and attempting to tackle these key issues facing the UK.
Perhaps most impactfully, the campaign created change within the bank, rallying its divisions in support of tackling economic abuse. The bank realised abusers were misusing payment references to send abusive messages to their victims. To combat the issue, HSBC implemented a warning system, which to-date has driven a 40% reduction in the number of abusive messages sent on HSBC’s banking platforms.