Catherine Fitzpatrick | Financial Abuse, Economic Coercion and Safety by Design: What Every Organisation Needs to Hear

What if financial abuse isn’t a hidden issue, but a structural one?This episode includes discussion of domestic and family violence. On the Power Of Women Podcast, Di Gillett sits down with Catherine Fitzpatrick - former bank executive turned social entrepreneur and Founder of Flequity Ventures, to understand how financial systems can be weaponised and what it truly means to design safety into products, services and policy.With more than two decades across banking, government, ASX-listed companies and regulation, Catherine has led national reforms that are reshaping how institutions respond to - and prevent - financial abuse.This is not theory.This is reform grounded in evidence and lived experience and we all need to hear it.In this conversation, we explore:Why financial abuse is often the central mechanism of coercive controlHow everyday products: bank accounts, insurance, utilities, can be misusedThe chilling rise of abusive micro-transactions and digital monitoringWhat “safety by design” looks like inside major institutionsWhy over 60 organisations have now adopted financial abuse terms into their fine printThe role men can and must play in disrupting abuseThe financial questions every woman should be able to answer without hesitationCatherine also shares practical steps individuals can take immediately to safeguard themselves: from checking your credit file to understanding joint liability and insurance clauses. New podcast episodes drop every Monday to power your week. Be the first to catch inspiring interviews, empowering stories, and thought-provoking conversations. 🎧 Watch and subscribe: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts.✔ Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeuAx74qUBrHxaQPEnxRpTw?sub_confirmation=1✔ Follow on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4hUXLl9Oc8xSSmR652wP3c?si=554c1a25f0e848a8✔ Follow on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/power-of-women-podcast/id1735659590✔ Follow on the website: https://powerofwomen.com.au/podcast/  Who is Catherine Fitzpatrick?:Catherine Fitzpatrick is an Australian social entrepreneur and former bank executive focused on preventing financial abuse. As Founder and CEO of Flequity Ventures, she works with banks, insurers and regulators to design safer financial systems and close the loopholes that enable coercive control. Catherine is an Adjunct Associate Professor at UNSW and a leading advocate for safety by design in financial services. Find Catherine at:Websites https://flequity.au/ https://catherinefitzpatrick.com/LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-fitzpatrick-designedtodisrupt/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/catherinefitzpatrick.official/ Connect with Di & engage with Power Of Women: LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/di-gillett-power-of-women/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/power_of_women_podcast/ Contact https://powerofwomen.com.au/contact/ Support [Australia]:• If you or someone you know is affected by domestic and family violence, contact 1800RESPECT, the national service for free and confidential counselling, information and support. Call 1800 737 732 or chat online 24/7 at www.1800respect.org.au• If you or someone you know is an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person in need of a culturally safe support line, you can call 13YARN (13 92 76)• In an emergency, or if you are not feeling safe, always call the police on 000 💫 If this conversation resonated please share the episode and help spread the stories that prove women are never to be underestimated. Your ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify keeps these stories alive. Credits:Audio Editing + Sound Design: Daryl Missen – https://vinilo.com.au/Executive Producer: George Donikian: https://www.donikianmedia.com.au/ Disclaimer:  https://powerofwomen.com.au/podcast-disclaimer/💫Subscribe to the Power Of Women Podcast and leave a review⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐🤝 Interested in collaborating or a sponsorship partnership with Power Of Women Podcast. I’d love to hear from you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.