You Have A Voice!
Women experience violence in many ways, ranging from physical abuse to sexual harrassment, dating violence, financial abuse, or trafficking. Whatever form it takes, violece against women can have serious long-term physical and emotional effects.
If you are experiencing these problems, know that you are not alone. Queen Edith’s HAW Foundation can help you cope with these challenges.
Financial Abuse
Financial abuse happens when an abuser takes control of finances to prevent the other person from leaving and to maintain power in a relationship. An abuser may take control of all the money, withhold it, and conceal financial information from the victim. Financial abuse happens often in physically abusive relationships.Â
Often, financial abuse is subtle and gradual, so it may be hard to recognise. Your partner may act as though taking over the finances is a way to make life easier for you. Your partner may explain that giving you a certain amount of money will help keep the family on track financially. But slowly, the money becomes smaller and smaller, until you are asking for money and being refused.
Some of the common ways that financial abuse happens include:
- Urging you to or demanding that you quit your job or preventing you from working
- Stalking or harrassing you at work.
- Refusing to give you access to bank accounts and holding or keeping assets from you.
- Giving you a set amount of money to spend and no more.
- Constantly questioning purchases you make and demanding to see receipts.
- Making financial decisions that affect you without consulting you.
- Stealing your identity or filing fraudulent tax returns in your name.
- Selling property that belonged to you.
- Refusing to pay child support.
- Forcing you to open lines of credit.
Dating Violence & Abuse
Dating violence happens when someone you are seeing romantically harms you in some way, whether it is physically , sexually, emotionally, or in all three. It can also include forcing you to get pregnant against your will, trying to influence what happens during your pregnancy, or interfering with your birth control.
Dating violence often starts with emotional and verbal abuse. This is usually the partner’s attempt to gain power and control over you. Dating violence can even happen on the first date. A guy paying for the date does not mean you owe him sex. Any sexual activity that is without your consent is sexual assault.
It is important to remember that dating violence is never your fault, even though abusers make it seem like it is.
Some of the signs of dating abuse include:
- Forcing you to have sex when you don't want to.
- Telling you that you owe them sex in exchange for favours.
- Acting paranoid and constantly accusing you of cheating.
- Being extremely controlling, such as telling you what to wear , forbidding you from seeing friends and family, or demanding to check your phone, email, or social media.
- Putting you down, including your appearance, intelligence, and activities.
- Trying to isolate you from other people.
- Blaming you for the abusive behaviour and listing the ways you "made them do it".
- Refusing to take responsibility for their own actions.
- Having a quick temper, so you never know what you may do or say that will anger them.
- Not allowing you to end the relationship or making you feel guilty for leaving.
- Committing any act of physical violence, including hitting, pushing, or slapping you.
Get Help
The resources and services that we provide are free and confidential. If you have been abused in any way and you need support or guidance, send an email to queenedithhawfoundation@gmail.com or send a Whatsapp message to +2348034518633.
