The murder of an Ontario woman has sparked action from Canada’s financial sector, but activists pushing to end intimate partner violence say banks need to do more to protect survivors.
The Canadian Bankers Association (CBA), a lobby group, and Interac, which runs the e-transfer service, both confirmed they are now pursuing technology to prevent their platforms from being used to perpetuate abuse.
“It wasn’t until they kind of have their feet held to the fire a little bit more that they’re actually going to take this action,” said Renee Buczel, co-chair of Angie’s Angels, a group in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., dedicated to ending intimate partner violence.
“I think it’s amazing that something good will come from such a tragic situation. And I think it’s about time that the banks and Interac stepped up,” Buczel said.
Hours before Angie Sweeney was murdered by her ex in October, he had sent her multiple abusive messages through e-transfers, using their “optional message” feature. She had blocked him on every other messaging platform.
After CBC News reported on Sweeney’s e-transfers, more Canadians came forward saying they, too, had been victimized by abusive messages attached to e-transfers, often for extremely small sums of money, as little as one cent.
Two national women’s groups have written an open letter demanding that Canadian banks block abusive messages sent by e-transfer. They say they are frustrated because banks don’t appear to be taking action even when technology is already available.
On the evening of May 7, Women’s Shelters Canada and the Canadian Center for Women’s Empowerment (CCWE) sent a co-authored letter to the CEOs of Canada’s five largest banks, the CBA and Interac. It demanded they take action to stop abusive e-transfers and pointed to two readily available solutions in other countries.
Both national women’s organizations advocate to policymakers and private industry for better supports for people experiencing gender-based violence.
One solution suggested in the letter is an AI-based program developed by the Commonwealth Bank in Australia and made free for all other banks worldwide. It filters abusive keywords and prevent those messages from being sent. The other is a program launched last year by Starling Bank in the U.K., which allows users to block messages attached to payments from specific people.
Interac promises ‘made-in-Canada’ solution
The CBA sent a statement to CBC News on Wednesday on behalf of its members, which include the five biggest banks: TD, Scotiabank, BMO, RBC and CIBC. It said its members are “in the process of reviewing how technology could be deployed to combat financially abusive behavior in line with local legal, privacy and operational requirements.” It also said it would start a dialogue with the two women’s organizations.
Interac also sent a statement saying it was actively working on a “made-in-Canada” solution to the problem. It said it had dedicated a team “to work with our financial institution partners to implement a reporting mechanism through the Interac e-transfer notification.” It also said it would explore the use of “blocking” technology for keywords.
“Oftentimes, with gender-based violence, people put out these statements and then it takes years for something to happen,” said Rhiannon Wong, with Women’s Shelters Canada.
Wong said it is too soon to tell whether any actions will actually follow the industry statements, adding that her organization had not yet been contacted by the CBA. However, she is hopeful they will begin to tackle the issue.
There are calls for Canadian banks to crack down on abusive messages sent via e-transfers. A CBC News investigation into the murder of an Ontario woman uncovered that her ex sent her abusive messages using the service just before he killed her.
“Financial abuse takes many different forms,” Wong said. “I think e-transfers is one step, but we’d like to see all of the banks support survivors of all types of financial abuse, with different types of accounts or support, and quick action in that way.”
The CCWE also released a report Wednesday which made 12 recommendations for the financial industry on better preventing abuse and supporting survivors.
Those recommendations include more training for bank staff on intimate partner violence and addressing coerced debt, where an abusive partner may run up debt in the survivor’s name, leaving them in the red.
It also wants banks to develop special procedures and programs to help women survivors start new accounts and new lives.
“In the chaos of leaving, being in a shelter with the children and then you don’t even have any money, any small things to get you started, it’s very, very difficult,” said Michaela Mayer, who works on policy for the CCWE.
Mayer said the centre hopes banks make financial services more inclusive for survivors, so they can open accounts with alternative identification verification and get small loans to get back on their feet faster.
A ray of hope
In Ottawa, Carmen Parsons, whose daughter Emma received abusive e-transfers from an ex, said she is encouraged by the industry’s response.
“It’s a little ray of hope that things are starting to change,” she said.
Women who have received threatening and abusive e-transfers from their former partners say they want Canadian banks to do more to prevent misuse of banking applications.
Parsons, herself a software tester, said it takes time to implement new programs, but she is hopeful that Interac and the banks can have them up and running soon, although she wishes they had been more proactive.
“I just feel [that for] the banks, it’s the bottom line that matters,” Parsons said. “It’s almost like somebody has to tell them they have to do it, even though it’s a good idea, and often change doesn’t happen until something bad happens.”
In Sault Ste. Marie, where Angie Sweeney’s friends and family are still trying to adjust to life without her, Renee Buczel says they will be keeping an eye on what the banks do next.
“I can guarantee you that we will do our best to stay on it, to make sure something happens, because it should happen.”