Economic abuse
By SANDRINE RATTAN Tuesday, August 27 2013
Often,
the term domestic violence evokes images of physical abuse. However,
many women also experience an equally devastating situation - economic
abuse. Economic abuse can include an abuser preventing victims from
working and accessing bank accounts, credit cards, among other isolating
tactics. Financial security is the number one predictor or whether or
not a victim of domestic violence will become free so as to avoid abuse.
For
many domestic violence victims, access to financial, housing, and other
community resources can make the difference between long-term stability
versus return to batterers or homelessness.
The lack of economic independence for many domestic violence survivors have created its own challenges. More challenging is the fact that, batterers may leave abuse victims saddled with debt, through unpaid rent and utility bills.
Compounding these challenges, the cycle of abuse often interferes with victims’ ability to obtain sustainable employment, even for those who have education and/or work experience. Batterers interfere with a victim’s ability to work in many ways.
Other severe types of economic abuse include the batterer forcing the victim(s) to turn over her pay cheques to him; purposely ruining the woman’s credit rating; incurring large debts without the victim’s knowledge, but for which she may be held responsible; taking her money; credit cards or other property without her knowledge. Despite the serious consequences of economic abuse for survivors, though, the general public may not be totally aware of the extent to which these situations occur and/or exist, and therefore, this column will continue to create a larger sense of awareness as it relates to the very negative impact of domestic violence on humankind.
SANDRINE RATTAN is a Communications Specialist who has also studied Psychology/Environmental Relationships and Sociology.
The lack of economic independence for many domestic violence survivors have created its own challenges. More challenging is the fact that, batterers may leave abuse victims saddled with debt, through unpaid rent and utility bills.
Compounding these challenges, the cycle of abuse often interferes with victims’ ability to obtain sustainable employment, even for those who have education and/or work experience. Batterers interfere with a victim’s ability to work in many ways.
Other severe types of economic abuse include the batterer forcing the victim(s) to turn over her pay cheques to him; purposely ruining the woman’s credit rating; incurring large debts without the victim’s knowledge, but for which she may be held responsible; taking her money; credit cards or other property without her knowledge. Despite the serious consequences of economic abuse for survivors, though, the general public may not be totally aware of the extent to which these situations occur and/or exist, and therefore, this column will continue to create a larger sense of awareness as it relates to the very negative impact of domestic violence on humankind.
SANDRINE RATTAN is a Communications Specialist who has also studied Psychology/Environmental Relationships and Sociology.
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