Financial Abuse and Domestic Violence Attorney Brick and Sea Girt NJ
Financial abuse is one form of domestic violence in which an abuser uses finances to gain power and control over their victim.
Domestic abuse is a pervasive problem in New Jersey, and its forms are not always physical and overt. The New Jersey Prevention of Domestic Violence Act of 1991 outlines 19 acts for which a charge of domestic violence can be filed. Only a few of them are physical in nature; others are emotional, psychological, sexual, and financial.
Financial abuse is one form of domestic violence in which an abuser uses finances to gain power and control over their victim. Such manipulative tactics could include withholding money from a partner or reducing their access to income, withholding information necessary for use of personal funds, threats regarding the use of money, or restricting access information and funds from assets and investments. Financial abuse can occur throughout the relationship or appear when one partner attempts to leave the relationship.
Despite physical and sexual abuse being the most well-known forms of domestic violence and the most overt acts of abuse in a relationship, financial abuse is overwhelmingly prevalent in domestic abuse cases. According to the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Financial Security, financial abuse is present in 99 percent of domestic violence cases. Because an abuser is seeking power and control, the withholding of finances is a potent tactic that renders many victims of the domestic abuse helpless to leave the situation. This type of manipulation occurs across the socio-economic and racial spectrum.
What does financial abuse look like?
Domestic abuse is a pervasive problem in New Jersey, and its forms are not always physical and overt. The New Jersey Prevention of Domestic Violence Act of 1991 outlines 19 acts for which a charge of domestic violence can be filed. Only a few of them are physical in nature; others are emotional, psychological, sexual, and financial.
Financial abuse is one form of domestic violence in which an abuser uses finances to gain power and control over their victim. Such manipulative tactics could include withholding money from a partner or reducing their access to income, withholding information necessary for use of personal funds, threats regarding the use of money, or restricting access information and funds from assets and investments. Financial abuse can occur throughout the relationship or appear when one partner attempts to leave the relationship.
Despite physical and sexual abuse being the most well-known forms of domestic violence and the most overt acts of abuse in a relationship, financial abuse is overwhelmingly prevalent in domestic abuse cases. According to the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Financial Security, financial abuse is present in 99 percent of domestic violence cases. Because an abuser is seeking power and control, the withholding of finances is a potent tactic that renders many victims of the domestic abuse helpless to leave the situation. This type of manipulation occurs across the socio-economic and racial spectrum
Financial abuse can take any form, and because it is often much less overt than physical or sexual forms of domestic violence, it can be hard to identify. It can also change form and intensity over time. Financial abuse may look like
- transferring joint money to different accounts without informing the partner
- not allowing access to a joint account
- not allowing a partner to work or sabotaging their work capacity by the inappropriate presence or stalking
- not allowing the partner to attend job interviews
- sending joint accounts into debt without a partner’s permission
- withholding joint money from a partner by/or giving an “allowance”
- withholding the necessary joint-funds needed for basic supplies such as food, medicine, or children’s educational items
- stealing the partner’s money, assets, identity, or property
- refusing to work to contribute to the family income
- Forcing the partner to work in a family business
- adversely affecting the partner’s or joint credit by going into debt
- refusing to pay child support or alimony
Financial abuse can have a devastating impact on the financial, mental, and emotional life of the victim. According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence, a 2012 Cornell study found that nearly 1 in every 3 surveyed domestic violence services had records of a quarter of their clients being prohibited from opening a bank account, or had their credit score lowered because of financial abuse.
Contact an Experienced Monmouth County Financial Domestic Violence Attorney Today
At Bronzino Law Firm, our team of family law attorneys is experienced in serving our clients across Wall, Sea Girt, Pt Pleasant, Brick, Toms River, and across the Jersey Shore in all matters of financial abuse and domestic violence.
To schedule a confidential consultation with a firm member regarding your experience of financial abuse, please contact us to schedule your free consultation: 732-812-3102 or contact us online or through either our Brick, NJ office, or our Sea Girt, NJ offices.