The opening lecture by Prof. Dr. Susanne Schlabs (Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences) focused on debt counseling as an offer of support from the field of social work for people with over-indebtedness and offered some initial approaches for the consideration of gender aspects in advisory services, financial education, and research. As a structuring measure, she proposed a differentiation between causes, triggering factors, and solutions at the macro, meso, and micro levels. On the one hand, social and socio-political factors are to be taken into account. The “big six” reasons for over-indebtedness indicate that a complex process model would have to take gender inequalities into consideration, since income poverty or reduced employment, for example, affect women differently than men. Research on inequality has shown that women are still disadvantaged on the labor market (gender pay gap, part-time work, low-wage employment, etc.). In addition, Susanne Schlabs continued, they are more likely to carry out unpaid care and nursing activities, so they are more vulnerable to poverty and over-indebtedness. Moreover, educational studies increase awareness of the fact that among women, there is interaction between personal circumstances and knowledge of the risks of poverty and shortfalls in provision. Single mothers are particularly affected here, she said, as they lack resources in many respects. Statistical evaluations have shown that the causes of indebtedness differ between the genders. Qualitative analyses also indicate a difference in coping strategies: Women, including those in partnerships, appear to be more active in seeking solutions to their indebtedness and in accessing the support system. The subsequent discussion centered on whether this is to be understood in connection with social role expectations and gender stereotypes. For the practice of advisory services and financial education, this gives rise to demands for value concepts that are gender-sensitive, rather than merely taking into account “good” handling of money. However, non-binary self-concepts have hitherto been neglected by research.

Prof. Dr. Regina-Maria Dackweiler (RheinMain University of Applied Sciences, Department of Social Work) spoke of the connection between poverty, violence in partner relationships, and over-indebtedness. The current state of data on violence in partner relationships shows that this phenomenon is not only prevalent among the lower classes or fringe groups, but is to be found in all social classes and does not end with advanced age or when the perpetrator becomes dependent on nursing care. As well as impacting health and psychological well-being, however, violence in partner relationships above all has enormous economic consequences. This all leads to a complex bundle of emotional and material dependencies and, for those affected, to particular risks of falling into situations of poverty or over-indebtedness. In this connection, a discussion ensued about the significance of shame: People subject to violence in partner relationships regularly state how stressful and inhibiting it is to experience shame. The case is similar with those affected by poverty and over-indebtedness, who associate the experience of being dependent on others and of being in need of help with shame – a condition that calls the person and their identity into question; they feel unworthy, and this often discourages them from taking advantage of social services or other offers of support. In the context of poverty, violence in partner relationships, and over-indebtedness, shame is also closely connected with fear of even more violence, poverty, and loss of livelihood. In her outlook, the speaker emphasized the need for a more strongly networked and more mutually knowledgeable support system, so that holistic crisis intervention can help avoid further financial and personal escalations.

The following aspects were also discussed together with the participants at the conference as future strategies:

• Statistical surveys should be further developed in such a way that evaluations allow conclusions to be drawn regarding intersectional and gender-specific correlations. This can contribute to the development of a more complex model of the processes of over-indebtedness, so that more effective support and educational offers can be deployed in response.
• The findings from inequality and gender research should be incorporated into counseling and financial education. In many ways, this calls for a critical examination of professional and personal values and moral concepts: Gender-sensitive work in the context of over-indebtedness, for example, can mean that the necessity of having one’s own bank account, or the obligations arising from “debts for others,” are addressed together with persons seeking advice or participating in educational programs. In this process, interdependencies must be reflected upon, along with social and professional notions of normality regarding “wise housekeeping” or gender stereotypes. Basic training for professionals, as well as opportunities for ongoing and advanced training, must accordingly be further developed.
• The participants agreed that awareness-raising and educational work must be carried out – in the social media as well – in a way that is appropriate to the target group, and that new concepts are required in this connection. Further agreements were reached with a view to publications and research initiatives.