{"id":10096,"date":"2023-04-12T16:09:55","date_gmt":"2023-04-12T20:09:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/?p=10096"},"modified":"2025-06-10T14:49:28","modified_gmt":"2025-06-10T18:49:28","slug":"april-financial-literacy-month-raising-awreness-of-economic-abuse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.safehorizon.org\/statements-and-press-releases\/april-financial-literacy-month-raising-awreness-of-economic-abuse\/","title":{"rendered":"April Is Financial Literacy Month: Raising Awareness Of Economic Abuse And Domestic Violence"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Safe<\/p>\n

By Mx. blair dorosh-walther, MSW
\nApril 12, 2023<\/em><\/p>\n

The month of April, Financial Literacy Awareness Month, is an opportune time to increase the public\u2019s awareness of economic abuse and how it affects survivors of domestic violence. This unseen form of domestic violence, similar to emotional abuse, is a form of control used by the person causing harm to keep survivors trapped in an abusive relationship and solely financially dependent on them. Whether it\u2019s preventing the survivor from being employed or removing all access to bank accounts and credit cards, survivors are often taken advantage of and can end up in financial ruin.<\/p>\n

The following provides information on how to identify economic abuse and steps for survivors to regain financial independence.<\/p>\n

What is Economic Abuse?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Economic abuse is when a person controls a person\u2019s money, ability to acquire money, use, and maintain their economic resources, such as, but not limited to access to money, credit cards, ownership of assets, or governmental or private financial benefits, including defaulting on joint obligations (i.e. school loans, credit card debt, mortgages, or rent). It also includes id theft, fraud, or coercion. Nearly 99% of all domestic violence survivors experience economic abuse.<\/p>\n

Forms of Economic Abuse<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The most common forms of economic abuse are:<\/p>\n

Coerced debt: <\/strong>Any financial account that has been opened without consent within an abusive relationship. Harm doers often use threats of violence or sabotage, manipulation, or force to pressure a survivor.<\/p>\n

Identity (ID) Theft: <\/strong>When an individual\u2019s personal identifying information is used illegally by someone else. This includes theft of their social security number or credit information to have control over the person\u2019s financial accounts (i.e. banking, credit, tax documents).<\/p>\n

Tax (IRS) Fraud: <\/strong>When a person takes over a survivor\u2019s ability to file tax returns or obtain access to refunds (see examples below):<\/p>\n