CCFWE’S ECONOMIC ABUSE SCREENING TOOL (EAST) 

A Toolkit for Social Service Providers

The Economic Abuse Screening Tool (EAST) has been developed to assist social service providers, particularly shelter staff, in identifying and addressing instances of economic abuse experienced by their clients. EAST equips these providers with the information and skills necessary to assess the scope and nature of economic abuse, and provides them with a range of resources to help victim-survivors access critical economic resources. CCFWE is grateful to the Government of Canada, through the federal department for Women and Gender Equality (WAGE), for providing the funding necessary to make this vital work possible.

Why screening for Economic Abuse is important? 

Talking about finances can be uncomfortable for many people, as money is still considered a taboo subject and discussing it may lead to feelings of shame or embarrassment. Unfortunately, few resources are available to address Economic Abuse compared to other forms of abuse, making it challenging for victims to seek help.

To help mitigate these feelings and provide support, the Economic Abuse Screening Tool (EAST) and resource kit have been developed. EAST not only assists social service providers in identifying instances of economic abuse, but also provides victim-survivors with information on how to begin addressing their financial challenges. By empowering clients with the knowledge and resources to resolve these issues, EAST can help them regain control of their lives.

It’s important to note that Economic Abuse can continue long after victims leave abusive relationships, making it difficult for them to move on. A lack of financial means is often cited as one of the main reasons that victim-survivors stay in abusive relationships. Responding quickly to any continued Economic Abuse clients are experiencing can significantly lessen any negative impacts on their financial situation and their ability to (re)gain control of their lives. CCFWE is committed to supporting victim-survivors and thanks the Government of Canada through the federal department for Women and Gender Equality (WAGE) for providing funding to make this work possible

Content of the Economic Abuse Screening Tool

The EAST toolkit is designed to meet the diverse needs of shelter staff and their clients and is divided into four parts. Each section addresses a specific need identified by shelter staff to support their clients better:

• Part 1: 8 screening questions to identify various types of Economic Abuse.
• Part 2: Background information on Economic Abuse to enhance shelter staff’s awareness and understanding of the subject.
• Part 3: Overview of Economic Abuse in simple, trauma-informed language that can be used as handouts for victims-survivors and community outreach efforts.
• Part 4: Extensive resources and references on essential action items that shelter staff can support their clients.

These four components of the EAST toolkit provide a comprehensive approach to addressing Economic Abuse and supporting victim-survivors in achieving financial independence and security.

Feedback received for the Economic Abuse Screening Tool

Feedback from shelter staff participating in the EAST testing phase
[provided anonymously]

“It was very helpful. In our experience, the questions opened up the reflections on their experiences and made it much easier to discuss the lived-out experiences with their finances as well as the relationship dynamics.”

“Having the resource section is what puts this tool into the exceptional category. We aren’t just defining the problem, we are providing solution options.”

“The residents mentioned the tool and the reflections days after, it seemed to have a great impact on validating their experiences and putting words to their experiences. It opened up a narrative to discuss their stories.”

“The questions clearly laid out where abuse would have happened concisely even if the client hadn’t thought if it as abuse previously.”

“The tool was a good jump-off point in building awareness and navigating the resources available in our community to begin to build economic security.”