When an abuser controls your finances, they control you’. Working closely with domestic abuse charity Hestia, and in support of the charity’s UK SAYS NO MORE campaign, HSBC UK has installed a live activation in London. Live today, passers-by will see a performer trying to escape ropes holding her back, acting as a powerful metaphor for the invisible strings of financial control some people experiencing domestic abuse face.

With the performer attached to strings being “held” by a hand above her, her movements will be natural at first, allowing her to move a certain distance before being constrained and pulled back. She will keep trying to escape, but the strings will pull her back every time, dramatising how people experiencing financial abuse can only go so far before they are controlled again.

This year HSBC UK has made all its branches a “Safe Space” in support of Hestia’s UK SAYS NO MORE campaign. Safe Spaces provide a confidential space for people experiencing domestic abuse to access specialist help and advice.

Colleagues from HSBC UK and Hestia’s UK SAY NO MORE will be at Spitalfields Market while the performance is live to offer support to those who need it.