Starling launches new feature Hide references – Starling Bank

Economic abuse

We’ve partnered with the charity Surviving Economic Abuse to launch this feature to help victims of economic abuse, which can involve a partner taking someone’s wages, stopping them from working or intentionally putting them in debt. Economic abuse is very often accompanied by other forms of domestic abuse.

Abusive payment references are a key obstacle for economic abuse survivors to overcome.

The warning signs of economic abuse can be hard to spot. Although only 16 per cent of people recognise their experiences as abuse, the effects can be long lasting, often resulting in psychological damage, ruined credit ratings, stalled careers, loss of confidence and repossessed homes.

Rebecca’s story

Rebecca separated from her abusive partner 14 years ago. He refused to pay child maintenance and after a court battle, was ordered to pay the money he owed directly to Rebecca.

“Although the money should have been paid as a lump sum, he would pay in small instalments with payment references that would remind me of times he verbally and physically abused me.”

“The references weren’t ever flagged by the bank because to an outsider, they didn’t look abusive, but when they popped up on my phone, I would get flashbacks to his abuse. The messages were a way for him to maintain that power and control over me, showing me that even though I had left him, I would never be free from his harassment.”

“My kids and I needed the support money, but it didn’t feel worth the endless stream of abusive payment references, and I didn’t want to explain to my bank why I didn’t want to see them. The ability to hide these references with a simple tap makes all the difference and I am so pleased that Starling has done this.”