Everything You Need To Know About Financial Abuse
You’ve heard of domestic abuse, right? Financial abuse falls under that domestic banner. It’s a form of abuse where someone’s ability to control their own money is restricted. Financial abuse often takes place in relationships that otherwise seem happy and healthy. Both partners might have even accustomed themselves to this way of living. But, financial abuse isn’t OK, and it needs to be stopped. Let’s take a look at all the info you need.
Are You A Victim/Perpetrator?
Victims of financial abuse don’t always understand that they’re in an abusive relationship. Similarly, perpetrators don’t always realize they’re doing anything wrong. But they are, and there are a lot of indicators we can look to. Here are just a few of them.
1. Keeping A Close Eye On All Purchases
If one person in the relationship is being forced to account for all of their expenses, there’s something wrong. It’s OK to keep an eye on your finances – that’s expected. However, if you’re demanding to see receipts for every little purchase – big or small – you’re in the wrong.
2. Forcing Career Paths
When one person wants to dominate the relationship financially, forced careers can be a nasty consequence. Despite building an established career, it might be felt that the individual is becoming too independent. As a result, the partner might force them to go part-time or be a stay-at-home parent for a child. This isn’t their decision to make, but they’ll make it.
3. Ultimatums
“If you don’t do what I want, you’ll have to leave.” Come on – we all know that this is horrendous behavior.
4. Denying Access To A Joint Bank Account
If you’re both contributing with funds for an account, but only one of you gets access, how is that fair? It’s a joint effort and 50/50 control over the account is expected. When one person starts taking control, it’s a big warning sign.
What Are The Next Steps?
If you feel like you might have been a victim of this, there are steps you can take. In the first instance, reach out to family and friends. They’ll be able to shed some light on the situation. If you’re struggling for money, save little-by-little until you can get out of this mess. Ultimately, the best option is to leave the relationship.
What If You’re Falsely Accused?
There are people out there who opt to accuse someone of financial abuse when it isn’t taking place. Domestic abuse carries a great deal of compensation for those who suffer from it. Because of this, a few unruly characters will pursue it without any wrongdoing taking place. If you find yourself being falsely accused of domestic abuse, specialists like Mace Law can fight your case if necessary. You’ll also want to make sure you can collect any evidence you might need to defend the accusations.
Financial abuse isn’t to be taken lightly. It’s ruining lives all over the world, and the more awareness we can generate, the better. We all want to be Money Soldiers – let’s put a stop to financial abuse once and for all!
