Santander: In Someone Else's Shoes

During National Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, Santander Bank is joining leading domestic violence organizations for an initiative that aims to build respect through understanding for survivors through video stories and live activations.

Many of the survivors of abuse face financial challenges that make leaving abusive situations more difficult, which is why Santander has partnered with the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) and the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV). Together, they will bring to life the financial abuse survivors often encounter through an immersive experience open to the public in New York City, as well as videos telling individual stories of financial abuse.

The feature spot highlights the hidden truths of domestic financial abuse. It starts by showing normal suburban houses, then scrolls over with “The most dangerous place in the world for a woman is her home.” A voice over of a woman comes on and states, “I know what most people think – if he broke my jaw, I would just leave.” She then states that the problem is more complicated. If she leaves, however, she realizes that she won’t be able to access the bank account because she has nothing with her name on it. Therefore, she is stuck.

The program also features a micro-lending program for survivors that includes credit-building opportunities as well as access to financial literacy resources.

Financial abuse includes withholding money, engaging in acts that impact a partner’s credit score negatively, hiding assets that allow independence and sometimes results in homelessness.

The ‘In Someone Else’s Shoes’ interactive exhibit in New York spotlights the financial hardships of an abusive home. The stand-alone house, built in partnership with domestic violence and financial abuse experts, gives guests a glimpse into systemic and structural factors that enable a domestic violence situation and make it difficult to escape.