It’s a story that many victims of domestic violence tell once they finally break free from their abusers. Many of them were held captive, not allowed to interact with others or to have access to any money. Others were forced to work and have their pay deposited into their abuser’s account. Most never had access to funds. This made it hard for them to get up and walk away from their toxic relationships.
The California Partnership to End Domestic Violence (CPEDV) has found that many of the victims of domestic violence that they’ve helped over the years remain in toxic relationships because they’re financially insecure. This is why they’ve started going into the communities where some of the most vulnerable populations live to teach women about financial literacy.
Individuals that they try to recruit to attend these workshops aren’t just adults. CPEDV teaches financial literacy to young girls. They do this in hopes of engraining in them the goal of becoming self-sufficient.
They believe that if they can encourage them to be financially independent, then they won’t have any reason to seek out the companionship of others down the road to pay their bills. They believe that this will result in less of them getting involved in toxic relationships when they’re older.
Teens and adults who attend CPEDV workshops learn how to set up a bank account, budget and save their money, write checks and learn about their right to take paid sick time and annual leave.
They also teach them that gender norms that call for men to be the primary breadwinners for a household or to pay for things as simple as dates are outdated. They instead encourage women to generate their income to pay for what they need and want in life.
It takes women a lot of courage to walk away from their toxic relationships, especially when their abusive partner has threatened them or their kids with bodily harm if they attempt to do so.
If you’re considering leaving your abuser and you want to put yourself in the most advantageous position once you do, then you should consult with an attorney. They can explain how you can protect your family through orders of protection here in Riverside.