“Sometimes life is so hard you can only do the next thing.  Whatever that is, just do the next thing.  God will meet you there.”   Elizabeth Elliott, missionary, author and speaker.

April, Income Tax Month!  Finances are on everyone’s mind.

The NNEDV (National Network to End Domestic Violence) recently posted that “the majority of abusers choose to financially control or exploit their victims.  Keeping a victim from working, ruining their credit, controlling all the money – these and other tactics leave victims trapped, without realistic options for leaving or rebuilding”.  In fact, they state that “research suggests that 99% of domestic violence survivors experience economic abuse.” Facebook, 3/15/26

The Independence Program

The NNEDV (National Network to End Domestic Violence) recognizes that “personal safety and economic security are inextricably linked.  A survivor with a low credit score may have trouble securing housing, obtaining a new job, or even purchasing essential goods and services, like a vehicle or a cell phone.  When a survivor builds her credit score, she is building economic resiliency, making it much more likely she and her family can move from short-term safety to long-term security.”  The NNEDV offers survivor-centered lending products, in the form of microloans, to survivors of domestic violence in all states. All loans, First-Step loans, and two Next Step Loan programs, are zero interest and zero fees.  Borrowers must first successfully complete a First Step Loan ($100) to qualify for a Next Step Loan, of $500 or $1,000.  The average ending credit score for someone who has successfully participated in the Independence Program is 646.     For more information see: Independence Program – NNEDV

What is Legal Abuse?

Domesticshelters.org states that Legal abuse, or litigation abuse, is a form of post-separation control where abusers manipulate the court system to harass, intimidate, and/or financially drain survivors.

Abusers know that with enough money and the right lawyer, they can repeatedly force survivors back to court. Considering that almost every abuser also utilizes financial abuse during the relationship, meaning they controlled the money and likely restricted the survivors access to finances, they often outspend the survivor on legal counsel. This gives them more power, and thus more control. Common tactics include filing excessive or frivolous motions, delaying court proceedings, and making false accusations, all intended to overwhelm and destabilize the survivor. Survivors can protect themselves by documenting patterns, seeking protective orders and working with legal professionals familiar with domestic abuse. Judges can intervene depending on their knowledge and experience with domestic violence tactics.  To read the entire article, including how to protect yourself from legal abuse, see: What Is Legal Abuse?

“Washington [State] law recognizes that abusers often misuse court proceedings in order to control, harass, intimidate, or coerce their partner or to force them to spend money on litigation.”  R.C.W. 26.51.010

Clare’s Law

Clare’s Law, also known as the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS) is a police policy in the United Kingdom, giving people the right to know if their current or ex-partner has any previous history of violence or abuse.

Under Clare’s Law, one has the right to:

-Make an application to the police requesting information about their current or ex-partner, because they are worried that individual may have been abusive in the past and believe they may pose a risk in the future.

-Request information from the police about the current or ex-partner of a close friend, neighbour or family member, because they are concerned that these individuals might be at risk of domestic abuse in future.

This is called the ‘right to ask.’  One has a right to ask the police no matter if the enquiry relates to a heterosexual or same-sex relationship, as long as one is aged 16 or older. One also has the right to ask about a partner regardless of one’s (or one’s neighbour, friend or family member’s) gender identity, ethnicity, race, religion or other characteristics.

One also has the ‘right to know’. This means that if police checks show that one’s current or ex-partner has a record of violent or abusive behaviour, and they believe you may be at risk, they may decide to proactively share that information with you. If you’re worried that your current or former partner has been abusive or violent in the past, Clare’s Law was created to formally give you the right to find out.

Per AI overview:  “Since its introduction, Clare’s law has been implemented in various forms across the UK and has inspired similar proposals in other countries including Australia and Canada”.  The US does not have a single equivalent.  “The US efforts center on preventing violence and supporting victims through criminal justice and civil remedies, rather than a public “right to know” database of past abuse”.  Let us engage our politicians and work toward establishing a similar law here in the United States!

Scripture Verse

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”   Matthew 6:21