Physical abuse is not the only form of domestic violence, and some may be confused as to whether or not they are a domestic violence victim. Along with physical abuse, a domestic violence victim can suffer abuse emotionally, sexually, psychologically and economically. Many of these types of abuse may be easy for people to recognize, but economic abuse is one form with which many people may not be familiar. Because of this, should they be suffering this type of abuse, they may not even be aware of it.
The following are examples of economic abuse:
- Abuser prevents the victim from getting a job or going to work.
- Abuser attempts to control financial resources.
- Abuser prevents the victim from gaining access to their funds.
Depending on the situation, an abuser may try to do these things over time, so it may not be obvious at first what is going on. This does not mean you can’t put a stop to it. It is ideal that action is taken when the first incident of domestic violence occurs, but this is not something that many people think of doing out of fear of their abuser and what harm may come their way if they do so.
When a person is being abused, whether it is physical, sexual, economic or any other type of abuse, they should not be afraid to step up and do something to change their situation. Many people may live in fear of their abusers, but nothing can be done unless they take a stand and seek assistance. An attorney may be able to help domestic violence victims put an end to the violence and prevent their abusers from causing further harm.
