Tips On Healing From Financial Abuse
Financial abuse is a common tactic used by abusers to gain power and control in a relationship. It may not appear harmful at first, but overtime as the abuser realizes the power they have, they’ll often increase their abusive behavior. It may be difficult to realize when financial abuse has taken place, especially if you’ve never experienced it before.
Financial abuse can show up in many different ways and can have lasting effects on those impacted. It’s important to understand that while the situation may seem never ending, you can heal from it. How it happens, how to overcome it, and what to do next may seem intimidating, but all you really need is a starting point.
How it Happens
Financial abuse happens over time, and can lead to feeling trapped in the relationship due to financial control. The main goal of a financial abuser is to gain and maintain control in a way that makes it nearly impossible to leave due to all of your finances being owned by them. For those who are the victims of financial abuse, it can take a long time to even realize that they’ve been taken advantage of because of how hidden the process may be at the beginning of the relationship. The abuser doesn’t want to lose the control that they have over their partner, so they ensure that they’re doing what they can to maintain that power.
There are many different forms of financial abuse, ranging from less severe to detrimental. An example of this abuse would be your partner taking over the management of your money, and framing it as beneficial to you. Suggesting a joint bank account or monitoring your spending, can appear to be normal, but it’s actually a tactic used to take control of your money. If the money management turns into controlling what you can and can’t spend your money on, it causes concern for financial abuse.
How to Figure Out Next Steps
When trying to leave or after leaving an abusive relationship, it’s important to plan your next steps. Leaving an abusive relationship can be extremely challenging and scary. Taking time to process your experience is important, but don’t forget to also focus on setting yourself up to regain control of your finances and protecting yourself in the future. It’s important to regain control of your finances so that you will have access to your money to be able to provide for yourself. While you may be living with friends or family for a little while to get back on your feet, you should consider what your current expenses consist of and begin to assess your financial state.
It’s important that you understand how to approach your finances and understand your current financial state. While it can be daunting, break down your finances into a monthly budget so that you know how much you can afford on bills. If you’re unsure of where to start, consider looking into financial assistance resources to help you navigate this new journey. As you’re figuring out your finances, you’ll also want to start considering a new place to live. While apartment and house hunting can be scary, it may be the first step to building your assets back up. When beginning this process, it’s important to think about a home financing option that works for your current situation. Consider looking into a FHA loan, as this option requires a lower credit score and less money down than other home financing options out there.
How to Heal From it
While there are unfortunately many different ways that financial abuse can appear, it’s important to know how to heal from this abuse if you’ve experienced it. Having gone through financial abuse, you may feel lost and isolated, especially after just getting out of the harmful situation. The first thing that you should do when getting out of an abusive relationship is to make sure that you’re getting away from your abuser and that you’re safe. Lean on friends and family during this time to ensure that they can help you get to a safe place.
In addition to that, make sure that you set up time to meet with an attorney, as they can provide you with additional support and services to ensure that the abuser stays away and that you can focus on rebuilding your life. An experienced family law attorney will provide you with the tools you need to get out of your current situation and take the proper steps for a divorce if need be. Leaving a financially abusive relationship is not easy, but ensuring that you have a good support system, have a financial plan in place, and have legal assistance, it can help you to get through this challenging time.
Contact the Tampa divorce lawyers for a free consultation
If you would like to have a free consultation to discuss your situation with a top notch and experienced Tampa divorce attorney at All Family Law Group, P.A., call us at 813-672-1900, text us at 813-543-8960 or contact us via our contact form. We will respond to you at our earliest opportunity. Se habla español. Thank you!
