November 20, 2025
Bonnie Brayton, CEO of DAWN Canada, represented the organization at the Global Summit on Economic Abuse on November 18, during the session In Focus: Beyond Survival: Financial Recovery for Women with Disabilities After Economic Abuse. Her presentation, Violence, Coercive Control & Economic Abuse Facing Women with Disabilities in Canada, highlighted critical gaps in Canada’s response to intimate partner violence against women with disabilities.
During the discussion, Brayton underscored that women with disabilities in Canada experience disproportionately high rates of intimate partner violence – particularly coercive control and economic abuse – while existing legal, financial, and social systems fail to adequately address their specific vulnerabilities. She presented findings from Canadian and international research showing how disability-related dependency, social isolation, and systemic ableism intensify these harms and restrict access to justice.
She emphasized the urgent need for clear definitions of disability-specific economic abuse, unified legal reforms such as a tort for coercive control, improved accessibility within justice systems, stronger safeguards from financial and disability-service sectors, intersectional policy design, and expanded economic supports to promote autonomy. She noted that comprehensive, coordinated reforms are essential to ensuring dignity, safety, and equality for women with disabilities in Canada.
The Global Summit brought together international changemakers, including specialized NGOs, financial institutions, money and debt advisors, researchers, lawyers, survivors, advocates, practitioners, and policymakers.
Click the link below to watch the full discussion. Click here to read the briefing document.
