Financial Abuse Survivor Invited to Advise Ministers Following Guardian Report
Francesca Onody, a woman who narrowly escaped death at the hands of her abusive husband, has been invited to advise the government on measures to support victims of financial abuse. This invitation comes after the Guardian highlighted her harrowing story last weekend, prompting action from City minister Lucy Rigby.
Onody's home was left in ruins after a devastating blaze in 2022, when her husband, Malcolm Baker, doused their cottage with petrol while she and her two children were inside. Baker died in the explosion, but the aftermath revealed a deeper layer of abuse. Onody discovered that Baker had cancelled their insurance policies and emptied their business bank accounts after she initiated divorce proceedings following years of control and manipulation.
Left homeless and penniless, Onody faced repossession by their mortgage lender, as she was not named in Baker's will. The repossession order was only halted after the Guardian intervened, bringing her plight to public attention.
Minister's Response and Commitment to Action
Lucy Rigby, the City minister and economic secretary to the Treasury, was deeply moved after reading about Onody's ordeal. "I was moved to tears," Rigby stated. "Francesca's case is a truly shocking example of economic abuse and demonstrates just how devastating the impact can be."
Rigby has requested a meeting with Onody to hear first-hand about her experiences and discuss potential measures to prevent other survivors from facing similar destitution. The charity Surviving Economic Abuse will also participate in these discussions. "The government's determination to tackle economic abuse is why we made this a cross-cutting theme in our recently published financial inclusion strategy," Rigby explained. "I'm absolutely determined that as a government we do everything we can to prevent victim-survivors like Francesca having to go through what she did."
Systemic Failures and Calls for Reform
Onody expressed that she felt failed by authorities and financial providers when seeking help for Baker's abuse. "Abusers are manipulative and calculating, using the terms and conditions of financial institutions to their advantage," she said. "If speaking up can help in any small way to stop someone else from going through what my children and I went through, then I'm happy to meet with anyone."
According to Surviving Economic Abuse, abusers often weaponise financial products and services to maintain control and inflict harm long after a divorce. Sam Smethers, the charity's chief executive, emphasised the need for better training and legislative reform. "Financial services professionals, from banks to insurers, must be better equipped to spot the signs of economic abuse and support customers," Smethers said. "We welcome the economic secretary to the Treasury's commitment to tackling economic abuse, but urgent legislative reform is now needed to close the gaps in our systems that abusers continue to exploit. The Financial Conduct Authority should urgently issue guidance to help firms support survivors under existing rules. It's the only way to help survivors like Francesca and their children to safely rebuild their lives."
This case underscores the critical need for enhanced protections and awareness in financial systems to combat economic abuse effectively.
