Introduction: Economic violence represents a significant yet often overlooked form of interpersonal abuse. This phenomenon manifests through behaviors aimed at controlling, limiting, or exploiting another person's economic resources, ultimately establishing power imbalances and dependency relationships that undermine victims' autonomy and well-being.
Purpose: This study aimed to systematically review and define the characteristic features of economic violence, investigate how this phenomenon is socially represented among the Italian population, estimate its prevalence, and identify high-risk profiles and protective factors that could inform preventive interventions.
Method: A two-phase methodological approach was employed. First, a systematic literature review was conducted to define and delineate the phenomenon of economic violence, identifying its distinctive characteristics and contextual variables. Second, a cross-sectional survey was administered to a representative sample of the Italian population (N=2000) to assess social representations of economic violence, estimate its prevalence, and identify demographic and psychosocial factors associated with increased vulnerability or protection.
Results: The systematic review revealed complex interactions between individual, relational and socio-economic factors that play significant roles in increasing economic violence vulnerability. Survey results indicated the perceived severity of the phenomenon and identified various psycho-demographic profiles of potentially at-risk categories based on gender, age, education level, and socioeconomic status. Beyond risk elements, several protective factors also emerged, including financial literacy, that can guide future intervention actions.
Conclusions: This research provides a comprehensive picture of economic violence in the Italian context, bridging theoretical conceptualizations with empirical evidence of prevalence and risk profiles. Findings highlight the need for targeted prevention strategies and awareness campaigns addressing the specific manifestations and social representations of economic violence identified in the Italian population.