Summary
At least two million people suffer domestic abuse in the UK each year. But domestic abuse is not always just physical. Taking control of a partner's money - financial abuse - is often part of controlling someone. This week a new advice service has been launched aimed at people who work in banks and building societies to help them spot the signs of economic abuse among their customers and encourage them to offer practical help when they do.
Metro Bank is pronounced 'safe' by the Bank of England. But what would happen to customers if another bank did go bust?
Some businesses have been trying out shortening the working week from the five days which most full timers work to four but with no loss of pay. Could this leave workers feeling less stressed, more productive and striking a better work/life balance? Or would it pile more pressure onto an already stressed workforce?
And what to do if you're pursued for a debt that is not yours.
Presenter: Paul Lewis Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | In Northern Ireland, from the late 70s to the early 90s, the IRA killed over 40 alleged informers. |
| 0:08.0 | But the man who often found, tortured and sometimes killed these people on behalf of the IRA |
| 0:12.0 | was himself an informer, a secret British army agent with the codename Stakeknife. |
| 0:18.0 | Who gets to play God? And why me? Why my family? When lies are still being told to this day, |
| 0:24.0 | who do you believe? I wouldn't even know where to start and I'm with the IRA. |
| 0:28.5 | Steakknife. Listen first on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:33.6 | BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts. Hello, in Moneybox today. what should you do if you're pursued for a debt that isn't yours? |
| 0:42.4 | Metro Bank is safe, says the Bank of England, after it raised new funds this week, |
| 0:46.0 | but how our customers protected now if a bank did go bust. |
| 0:49.4 | And we talk to a firm that's moving to a four-day week for their staff, |
| 0:52.9 | but paying them the same as they did |
| 0:54.7 | for five. Does the work really get done? But first, at least two million people suffer abuse |
| 1:00.9 | at the hands of a partner or spouse in the UK each year. And it's not always physical. Taking |
| 1:05.8 | control of a partner's money often goes along with verbal or physical violence. It's all part of what's called |
| 1:11.5 | coercive control. Jane came to Moneybox recently to tell us she had suffered economic abuse for some |
| 1:17.5 | years. We've changed her name, of course, and her words are spoken by an actor. But this is her |
| 1:22.2 | story. She explained first how the man who's now her ex-husband took over her financial life. |
| 1:28.6 | If I did any spending that he didn't approve in advance, I would be in trouble. |
| 1:36.0 | Verbal abuse was a constant issue, even physical abuse. |
| 1:40.6 | He would tell me I'm useless. |
| 1:43.2 | I don't earn enough money, |
| 1:45.0 | I should give up my job and earn more money. |
... |
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