Understanding and Responding to Energy Problems Connected to Economic Abuse in Australia

Economic abuse is a form of family violence and a key mechanism of coercive control. This thesis explores the intersection between economic abuse and energy utility services. Drawing on interviews with victim-survivors and energy provider employees, this is the first study to examine how victim-survivors experience energy utility problems. Findings in this thesis shed light on the nature of energy problems experienced by victim-survivors, and the complex barriers to seeking help from energy providers. This thesis offers lived experience-driven recommendations for how to improve energy provider responses to people experiencing energy problems connected to economic abuse.