is a nonprofit (501c3) comprehensive domestic violence organization
Thank you so much for considering us as an opportunity to make a difference for women and children fleeing abuse or seeking safety this holiday season. We have a variety of methods to choose from.
1) Online or by mail donations helps us support those in search of safety today, and your donation will reach survivors and families direct;y during such an important, busy and stressful holiday season for women and children in need.
2) Consider hosting a fundraiser to support women and children in need on your own, or through our Facebook page. Feel free to contact us at talia@openingnewdoors.org with any questions.
3) Finally, if unable to donate this season, please help us:
In its extreme (and usual) form, this involves putting the victim on a strict “allowance”, withholding money at will and forcing the victim to beg for the money until the abuser gives the victim some money. It is common for the victim to receive less and less money as the abuse continues. This also includes (but is not limited to) preventing the victim from finishing education or obtaining employment, or intentionally squandering or misusing communal resources.[5]
Economic abuse is often used as a controlling mechanism as part of a larger pattern of domestic abuse, which may include verbal, emotional, physical and sexual abuse. Physical abuse may include threats or attempts to kill the cohabitant. By restricting the victim’s access to economic resources, the offender has limited recourses to exit the abusive or violent relationship.[6]
The following are ways that abusers may use economic abuse with other forms of domestic violence:
Victimization occurs across all socio-economic levels, and when victims are asked why they stay in abusive relationships, “lack of income” is a common response.[7]
There are several ways that abusers may impact a victim’s economic resources. As mentioned earlier, the abuser may prevent the victim from working or make it very difficult to maintain a job. They may likewise impede their ability to obtain an education. Frequent phone calls, surprise visits and other harassing activities interfere with the cohabitant’s work performance. In case of a cohabitant being homosexual, bisexual, transgender, or questioning of their sexuality (LGBTQ), the abuser may threaten to “out them” with their employer.[7]
The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence in the United States reports that:
By denying the victim access to money, such as forbidding the victim from maintaining a bank account, he or she is totally financially dependent upon the abuser for shelter, food, clothing and other necessities. In some cases the abuser may withhold those necessities, also including medicine and personal hygiene products. They may also greatly limit their ability to leave the abusive situation by refusing to pay court-ordered spousal or child support.[7]
Abusers may also force their victims to obtain credit and then through negligent activities ruin their credit rating and ability to get credit.[7]
There are several ways to manage economic abuse: ensure one has safe access to important personal and financial records, ensure one’s research activities are not traceable and, if they believe that they are going to leave the cohabitation, they should prepare ahead of time.[7]
The elderly are sometimes victims of financial abuse from people within their family:
Family members engaged in financial abuse of the elderly may include spouses, children, or grandchildren. They may engage in the activity because they feel justified, for instance, they are taking what they might later inherit or have a sense of “entitlement” due to a negative personal relationship with the older person. Or they may take money or property to prevent other family members from getting the money or for fear that their inheritance may be lost due to cost of treating illnesses. Sometimes, family members take money or property from their elders because of gambling or other financial problems or substance abuse.[8]
It is estimated that there may be 5 million elderly citizens of the United States subject to financial abuse each year.[7
If you are considering leaving a relationship
regardless whether it has been physically, emotionally, economically, sexually, spiritually or any other kind of abusive..
and you don't know where to start or what to do..
reach out to us. We are a bilingual clinically trained team that specializes in supporting victims, survivors, children of, or loved ones of women who have been abused, regardless of your situation.
Whether the abuse was 60 years ago or today, we're here to see how we can help you coordinate your next steps
PLEASE READ PRIOR TO CONTACTING US
You can text us right now at (240) 317-7990 or email us at talia@openingnewdoors.org. We are available most hours day or night, 7 days a week. We are mostly volunteer and not able to respond 24 hours. We would love for you to try us anytime but the best hours are from 7 am-2 am (next morning). <br>
PLEASE NOTE, FOR SAFETY REASONS: if we should not write you back or if it takes too long to respond immediately, please tell us using a symbol (such as a “, . ! ? @ or single letter “a, b ..”) which will let us know not to text you back. We will then wait for you to contact us back.
Your safety is the most important thing. Listed below are tips to help keep you safe. The resources in this book can help you to make a safety plan that works best for you. It is important to get help with your safety plan.
Opening New Doors may be able to provide you with a cell phone that is programmed to only call 911. These phones are for when you need to call the police and cannot get to any other phone.
Items to take, if possible:
We are survivors who have used our personal and professional experiences to identify gaps on micro and macro levels. We realize how many people don’t understand the complexity of domestic violence. We follow a client-centered (we will work on what you want to work on), trauma focused (to be sensitive to help you work through pain from your past) counseling approach to make sure that we are helping you to actually achieve YOUR goals!