Financial Advisement

At the Center for Hope, we understand the devastating effects financial abuse can have on families. We believe that knowledge is power. Therefore, we provide financial advisement as part of our services to help you gain control over your life. At the Center for Hope, victims are educated on how to obtain and understand financial information they need in order to make intelligent decisions planning for their future. This financial planning can help survivors face their fight to obtain long-term security, safety and independence. 

Research reflects that financial abuse happens in 99% of domestic violence cases. It is a common strategy used by abusers to gain and/or retain power and control in a relationship. Financial abuse may be subtle or overt but often includes behaviors that limit the victim’s access to assets, conceal information, or reduce the ability to use the family income. Abusers entrap their partners using tactics that intentionally manipulate, intimidate, and threaten the victim in order to keep the partner in the relationship. Financial abuse can be present during the entire relationship or it may become apparent when the victim is attempting to leave the relationship.

Financial abuse is one of the most powerful methods of control that can keep a person trapped in an abusive relationship. Surveys of survivors show that concerns about their ability to financially provide for themselves and their children is one of the top reasons for returning to or staying with an abusive partner. Financial abuse occurs across all socio-economic, educational, racial, and ethnic groups.

Here is a short checklist. Remember, an abuser can make a victim feel like they have made the below decisions together. However, none of the following checklist is a part of a healthy relationship.

• Makes you account for all the money spent
• Keeps you short of money
• Makes you ask for basic necessities
• Undermines your attempts to improve your education
• Undermines your attempts to get or keep a job
• Controls the money
• Makes you ask for money
• Refuses to give you money
• Makes all major decisions about money without consulting you
• Spends money only on things he wants

We offer virtual sessions over zoom or skype as social distancing continues to be of great importance to all our health and safety. Please check our events calendar for upcoming classes.