Championing for Molly: Perth mum’s milestone in her quest for justice
On what would have been Perth woman Molly Wilkes’ 25th birthday, her mother Julie received the news that reforms to stop domestic violence abusers accessing their victims’ superannuation had reached a milestone.
After Molly’s death from domestic violence related suicide in July 2022, Julie Adams watched helplessly as Molly’s superannuation was handed over to her husband – an alleged abuser.
Described by her mum as “beautiful” and “feisty”, Molly Wilkes died from domestic violence-related suicide in July 2022 after relentless and emotional, sexual, physical and financial abuse at her husband’s hands.Credit: Julie Adams
Since then, Julie, who has also been awarded an Order of Australia for her work in cancer care, has tirelessly campaigned for changes to the current laws via a parliamentary inquiry into the role financial institutions play in domestic abuse.
She was preparing a family dinner to commemorate Molly’s birthday last Monday when she received word the Financial abuse: an insidious form of domestic violence report would include a recommendation to amend the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 to make it possible to declare perpetrators of domestic or family abuse – including financial abuse, and domestic violence-related suicide – as invalid beneficiaries.
The report, tabled in parliament on December 5, states that financial abuse is a “systemic problem” compounded by gaps in regulation and law, lack of awareness, and complicity within and across financial institutions.
Its 31 recommendations aim to create a coordinated and comprehensive response from government, financial institutions, and the legal system to combat what it calls a “hidden epidemic”.
Julie described the moment as bittersweet: a huge win for awareness, but one that evoked immense pain and suffering in its necessity.
“The advocacy part takes quite a lot of emotional energy, it’s quite draining – It also means that I’m focusing on the negative parts of Molly’s life rather than the joy that she brought, and that’s hard,” she said.
“But at the same time, you can’t have change unless these stories are brought to the front, it’s these stories that help to change people’s hearts and bring the call to action.”
According to current legislation, if a person who is a victim of domestic violence dies, the perpetrator of that violence in most probability will be the person to benefit from both their super and death benefits.
“It’s not for the want of the superannuation fund, in my case Hesta, not wanting to change or not pay out the perpetrator of Molly’s abuse, but they were legally bound to do so,” Julie said.
Molly and her mother.Credit: Julie Adams
Molly moved to Las Vegas with her husband in 2020 and they married in January 2021.
In the 18 months that followed, as she was being allegedly abused, she tried to leave six times, her isolation heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The week before her death, Molly had packed her bags and was ready to leave again.
That was when her husband’s emotional torture and manipulation escalated.
Molly took her own life in the garage of her home in July 2022, aged 22.
Julie highlighted that the use of the term ‘domestic violence-related suicide’ in an official parliamentary document was momentous in itself.
“Something is very wrong when the perpetrators of economic abuse receive their victim’s superannuation earnings.”
Parliamentary joint committee chair Senator Deborah O’Neill
“I think that’s probably the first time any parliament in Australia has referred to it in that way,” she said.
“That’s a really big step forward, and hopefully even just that part will also help to springboard a number of other changes that need to happen.”
Those changes relate to the recognition of domestic violence-related suicide in policing procedures, coroner reports and death certificate terminology.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 27 per cent of women in Australia – about 2.7 million – have experienced violence, or emotional or economic abuse by a cohabiting partner.
Moreover, 16 per cent of these women, or 1.6 million, have suffered from partner economic abuse, compared to 7.8 per cent of men.
The financial toll on victims of financial abuse is estimated at $5.7 billion—almost $3 billion more than the total amount lost to scams in Australia in 2023.
Parliamentary Joint Committee chair Senator Deborah O’Neill said the report represented a moment of hope and change for Australia.
“The Public Trustees of Australia pointed out that victims of financial abuse within self-managed superannuation funds face severe disadvantages, as these funds are not covered by the Australian Financial Complaints Authority,” O’Neill said.
“Super Consumers Australia also noted the shortcomings of the superannuation death benefit system.
“Something is very wrong when the perpetrators of economic abuse receive their victim’s superannuation earnings.”
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