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The Allstate Foundation Domestic Violence Program: The Moving Ahead Through Financial Management Curriculum

Domestic Violence & Economic Abuse

Nearly 1 in 4 women report abuse by a partner during their lifetimes. A lack of financial knowledge and resources deter many victims of domestic violence from leaving relationships with their abusers. This tactic, called economic abuse, is commonly used by abusers to prevent their victims from leaving harmful situations. It involves behaviors that control a woman's ability to acquire, use or maintain financial resources. Economic abuse takes many forms, including:

• Controlling paychecks and bank accounts.
• Determining how money is spent.
• Deciding where victims work or preventing them from working.
• Controlling property decisions.
• Destroying the victim's credit rating by using credit cards without permission or filing all financial contracts (lease, credit cards, utilities, etc.) in a victim's name and failing to make timely payments.
• Forcing low-income victims or victims with disabilities to turn over government benefit payments.
• Undermining victims' opportunities to become economically independent
  • Forbidding the victim to work.
  • Forcing the victim to work in a family business for little or no pay.
  • Harassing the victim in the workplace to such an extent that the job is lost.

For domestic violence survivors leaving an abusive relationship, quality of life changes are imminent. Being a survivor often comes at a high cost-homelessness, unemployment and financial debt.

Victims of domestic violence require targeted resources that can provide them with the knowledge and skills they need to achieve economic empowerment. Armed with these tools, survivors are able to leave abusive relationships and lead safer, financially secure lives.

Until recently, there have been few national resources dedicated to economic stability challenges for survivors of domestic violence. The Allstate Foundation is taking action by empowering survivors and spreading awareness. In collaboration with the National Network to End Domestic Violence, The Allstate Foundation Domestic Violence Program helps survivors of domestic violence build their financial skills as a way to escape abusive relationships, get safe, stay safe thrive.

Moving Ahead Through Financial Management Curriculum

A key component of The Allstate Foundation's program is its Moving Ahead Through Financial Management Curriculum - a comprehensive package of financial tools and information designed to empower victims and survivors to be self-sufficient with their finances. It educates and trains advocates and Allstate volunteers to work with domestic violence victims as they move forward on the path to financial security. The curriculum includes:

• Approaches for locating and accessing local, state and national personal safety and financial resources;
• Information on how individuals can protect themselves personally and financially while remaining in an abusive relationship and after leaving an abusive relationship;
• Strategies for dealing with the misuse of financial records;
• Strategies for addressing the complex financial and safety challenges of ending a financial relationship with an abusive partner;
• Strategies for working through the financial and safety challenges of identity change;
• Tools to help people of all incomes and earning power work toward long-term economic empowerment; and
• Strategies for accessing economic empowerment resources used nationwide. Strategies include individual development accounts, micro-enterprise development programs and emergency assistance funds.

Allstate Personal Financial Representatives and Agency Owners partner with domestic violence coalitions to train local domestic violence service providers to use the Moving Ahead Through Financial Management Curriculum.

Impact

Rutgers University, School of Social Work, Center on Violence Against Women and Children conducted a national evaluation of The Allstate Foundation Moving Ahead Through Financial Management Curriculum. The study revealed that survivor-respondents:

• Experienced significant increase in economic empowerment on the family level.
• Achieved economic self-sufficiency.
• Experienced a significant reduction in economic abuse, physical and psychological abuse, post traumatic stress, and levels of depression.

Survivor-Respondents also reported that:

• 94% were no longer living with their abusive partners.
• 89% still utilized the curriculum after 6 months.
• 92% agreed that the curriculum was helpful.

The Allstate Foundation Moving Ahead Through Financial Management Curriculum is a groundbreaking initiative to address the pervasive, destructive barrier that domestic violence poses to the safety and security of victims and their families.

Contact Information

To learn more about The Allstate Foundation, visit allstate.com/foundation. For more information on The Allstate Foundation Domestic Violence Program, visit ClickToEmpower.org or contact:

The Allstate Foundation Domestic Violence Program:

If you are a survivor of domestic violence or are currently experiencing domestic violence, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline to receive support and discuss your options at 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224 (TYY).