Welcome Friends!

Welcome Friends!

We hope everyone is enjoying this nice weather. Remember: it doesn’t last long around here, so take some time to feel the sun on your face. Go on a walk or bike ride. Whatever it is YOU like to do, enjoy!

Did you know there is such a thing as Economic Abuse? No, I’m not talking about going to Target with the intention of buying one thing and leaving with over $100 worth of stuff. Or, that the fine employees of Amazon know you personally by name. I’m talking about someone using finances to control another person. Let me explain…

Part of what we do in our High Risk Response Team is to have mini-trainings at our meetings. One of the trainings was on Economic Abuse, which I found very interesting and it made me consider things that maybe I hadn't before. The following information was provided by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence:

ECONOMIC ABUSE TAKES MANY FORMS:

Employment-related abuse: when the abuser prevents a victim from earning money, examples include:

• Preventing victim from attending a job

• Demanding that the victim quits his or her job

• Preventing the victim from looking for jobs or attending job interviews

• Harassing the victim at work

Coerced debt: when an abuser forces non-consensual, credit-related transactions, examples include:

• Applying for credit cards, obtaining loans, or opening accounts in a victim’s name without their knowledge or consent

• Forcing the victim to obtain loans

• Forcing the victim to sign financial documents

• Use or threats of physical force to convince victims to make credit-related transactions

• Refinancing a home mortgage or car loan without a victim’s knowledge

Other forms of economic abuse involve the abuser preventing a victim from accessing existing funds. Examples include:

• Deciding when or how the victim can access or use cash, bank accounts, or credit cards

• Forcing a victim to give the abuser money, ATM cards, or credit cards

• Demanding that the lease or mortgage or assets be in the abuser’s name

• Using the victim’s checkbook, ATM card, or credit cards without the victim’s knowledge

WHY IT MATTERS:

Victims of domestic violence may be unable to leave an abusive partner or may be forced to return to an abusive partner for economic reasons.

Victims of coerced debt may face massive barriers to economic self-sufficiency, including struggling to find a job or even obtaining

a place to live after leaving an abuser due to debt and its detrimental effects on their personal credit scores.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Between 94-99% of domestic violence survivors have also experienced economic abuse?

• Between 21-60% of victims of domestic violence lose their jobs due to reasons stemming from the abuse.

• Victims of domestic violence lose a total of 8 million days of paid work each year.

• Between 2005 and 2006, 130,000 stalking victims were asked to leave their jobs as a result of their victimization.

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR PARTNER IS ABUSING YOU FINANCIALLY:

• First: seek help from a trained domestic violence advocate.

• Avoid using credit and debit cards that can enable an abuser to track your whereabouts.

• Keep your personal and financial records in a safe location. Leave copies with a trusted friend, relative or in a bank safety deposit box to which your abuser does not have access.

• Compile an emergency evacuation box with copies of your family’s important records and documents.

• Keep copies of car and house keys, extra money, and emergency phone numbers in a safe place.

• If you use the internet to explore domestic violence issues or research how to regain financial independence, make sure your abuser cannot trace your activities.

• Take a financial inventory, listing assets and liabilities.

• If your partner controls the money, look for ways to find out more information about his/her income, financial property, real property and debts. • If you are considering leaving your abuser, calculate what it would cost you to live on your own, and consider starting to set aside your own money in a safe place, even if it’s just a few dollars.

• Obtain a copy of your credit report from any of the three major credit bureaus, review the information and report any fraud, disputed claims or identity theft. Under FACTA (The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act) you can obtain a free copy of your credit report every 12 months.

If you think your partner is abusing you financially, seek assistance by calling the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-(SAFE) 7233. Trained advocates are available 24/7 to provide you with the help and support you deserve.

Thanks for visiting our website and please keep checking in with us for updates and information.

We’re here if you need us~

The Farmington Hills High Risk Response Team