What does economic control refer to in IPV?

• A. Control of a partner's access to financial resources and money to limit independence.
• B. Only physical violence.
• C. Not part of IPV.
• D. It refers to preventing someone from buying necessities.

Answer: (B)

Economic control in intimate partner violence is about one person shaping and restricting the other’s financial life to maintain power. This includes limiting access to money, dictating how funds are spent, withholding resources, monitoring purchases, or forbidding employment. It can also involve controlling bank accounts, credit, or debt, and even sabotaging a partner’s ability to earn. The core goal is to create dependency and reduce the other person’s ability to be independent or leave. This form of abuse is a common tactic within coercive control and can occur with or without physical violence, making it a distinct but often co-occurring dimension of IPV.