Problem gambling and economic abuse against women: An adaptive grounded theory analysis

Abstract

This study explores the interaction between problem gambling and economic abuse against women. Through adaptive grounded theory analysis, it examines how problem gambling by male partners drives economic abuse and is reinforced by other forms of intimate partner violence. The findings highlight the compounded impact of gambling-related financial exploitation on women, exacerbated by gendered drivers of violence. Interviews with 18 women who experienced economic abuse due to a partner's gambling addiction provide in-depth insights into the dynamics of this abuse and its broader implications for women’s safety and economic security.