Financial Abuse – How Do You Identify It and Who Can Help?
Financial Abuse – How Do You Identify It and Who Can Help? [Resources and Hotlines]
By Women Who Money Co-Founders, Vicki Cook and Amy Blacklock
Note: This post may contain triggers for those who have been in abusive relationships or been through sexual assault.
What is Financial Abuse?
Financial abuse is when the person ‘in power’ – the abuser – controls their victim’s access to money, including:
Controlling their spending
Stealing their money, credit, property, or identity
Denying them access to financial accounts and credit cards
Hiding assets from them
Keeping them from getting or keeping a job or pursuing education or training
Essentially, it’s a control tactic 99% of domestic/intimate partner violence abusers use to keep their victims trapped.
October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month in the U.S.
“Each year, more women are touched by domestic violence than breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and lung cancer combined.” ~ Purple Purse, Allstate Foundation
One in four women is known to be a victim of domestic violence sometime in their life. This means we all likely know someone, a mother, a sister, a daughter, a co-worker, neighbor, friend, or ourselves, who has experienced physical, emotional, and financial abuse.
Domestic Violence Does Not Discriminate
Anyone of any race, age, sexual orientation, religion or gender can be a victim – or perpetrator – of domestic violence. It can happen to people who are married, living together or who are dating. It affects people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and education levels.
Domestic violence includes behaviors that physically harm, arouse fear, prevent a partner from doing what they wish or force them to behave in ways they do not want. It includes the use of physical and sexual violence, threats and intimidation, emotional abuse and economic deprivation. Many of these different forms of domestic violence/abuse can be occurring at any one time within the same intimate relationship. ~ NDVH
Recognizing the Signs of Financial Abuse
If you can answer yes to even one of these questions, you may be a victim of financial abuse. If you find yourself nodding yes to more than one, you’re very likely in a financially abusive relationship.
Does your partner:
To continue reading, please go to the original article here: