The fight against family violence doesn't end once a woman is physically safe, but must continue until she can fully enjoy life, support services say.
Financial abuse and the continuing effects on a woman's life haven't been fully encapsulated in the past, but that is starting to change, Victoria's royal commission into family violence heard on Thursday.
"I think that's absolutely made us rethink this notion of the objective being about safety, because we concede now that it's a limitation to stop at that point," Good Shepherd Australia chief executive Rhonda Cumberland said.
"For us now, our concern is to extend our hopes and aspirations for women to include something like ... their full worth, their full ability to contribute and participate as free citizens."
There's now more of a focus on what was once referred to as "sexually transmitted debt" than a decade ago, when attention was on the physical aspect of family violence, the commission heard.
But financial abuse is not well recognised, particularly by the women suffering from it, Women's Information and Referral Exchange deputy chief executive Julie Kun said.
Financial abuse can extend for many years beyond the end of a relationship as perpetrators drag women through vexatious litigation, costing them money on court fees, and potentially limiting their access to Centrelink and child support payments.
"I think it's one of the saddest things that a legal system that is there to protect victims is often used by perpetrators as their tool for continuing the abuse," Ms Kun said.
Many women fear being left destitute, so financial abuse can affect a woman's decision to stay in an abusive relationship, possibly threatening her personal safety, Women's Legal Service lawyer Emma Smallwood said.
Ms Smallwood said she wanted more direction from Victorian courts on how economic abuse prevention could be incorporated into intervention orders.
Economic abuse is included in an increasing number of Victoria Police intervention order applications in Melbourne courts though the overall total is still small, the commission heard.
Seniors Rights Victoria manager Jenny Blakey said financial abuse can also affect older people, who can be tricked or coerced into transferring power of attorney or assets to their children.
The hearings continue in Melbourne on Friday.
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