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Economic Abuse is Domestic Abuse

By Janet Langjahr

Domestic abuse conjures images of physical violence.

That is abuse.

But it’s far from the only form that domestic abuse takes.

Domestic abuse is, fundamentally, about power and control as much, if not more, than violence.

One way to maintain absolute power and control in a relationship is to hold the purse strings, all of them.

And so abusers may block their victim from getting or keeping a job (and paycheck) of their own.

Or run up debt behind their significant other’s back.

Or deny their victim access to “their” money.

That’s economic abuse, a form of domestic abuse.

It is one of the strongest holds that abusers have on their victims.

And it inflicts real anguish - and ultimate control - on its victims.

That is even more true in a weak economy, such as we have now.

A helpful resource for victims of economic abuse: Click to Empower Domestic Violence Survivors.

Read more in this Public News Service - Florida article: Study: Abusers Control Their Partners Through the Pocketbook.

Full post as published by Florida Divorce - Child Custody - Domestic Abuse Law on July 25, 2009 (boomark / email).