Join University of Maryland School of Social Work (UMSSW) Dean Judy L. Postmus, PhD, ACSW for a live discussion on Reddit about economic/financial abuse in relationships on Thursday, April 6, from noon to 2 p.m. ET.
This will be part of a Reddit Ask Me Anything (AMA) thread, where broad questions from people all over the world will be asked about the dean’s research on the physical, sexual, and economic victimization of women, and her particular interest in the financial empowerment and financial literacy of women who are victims of domestic and economic abuse.
Postmus will address topics like these during her live chat:
- What do you do if a loved one experiences financial abuse?
- How does financial abuse connect to other forms of abuse?
- What can the banking industry do to help survivors?
- Is financial abuse against the law? Can someone be arrested for financial abuse?
- What is financial empowerment and how can it help survivors?
- For someone who experiences economic abuse, what can you do to strengthen your own empowerment around finances?
Postmus was the founder and director (2007-2018) of the Rutgers University Center on Violence Against Women and Children, which works to eliminate physical, sexual, and other forms of violence against women and children — and the power imbalances that permit them — through multidisciplinary research, education, and community engagement. She co-authored the book “Building Financial Empowerment for Survivors of Domestic Violence: A Path to Hope and Freedom (Violence Against Women and Children),” with Amanda M. Stylianou and Jolynn Woehrer.
In her AMA, Postmus will talk about what is economic abuse, sometimes called financial abuse, outlining the signs and symptoms of economic abuse, identifying how it shows up in relationships, presenting how social workers can screen for economic abuse, and encouraging social workers and other human services employees to help and empower victims. In this lens, financial abuse isn’t a matter of someone simply stealing money from a loved one. It’s manipulating someone through coercive control of their finances or their ability to earn money.
To join the conversation, visit Reddit.com/r/IamA between noon and 2 p.m. on April 6, and watch for Postmus’ thread go live. You must have a Reddit account to participate. The direct link will be shared on @UMBaltimore and @MDSocialWork on Twitter once the thread is active.
Reddit is an online message board community that has more than 430 million monthly active users, billing itself as the “front page of the internet.” Reddit IAmA is a community, or a subreddit, where people with unique expertise or skills share their knowledge with anyone all over the world.
Are you a researcher interested in hosting a chat about your work on Reddit? Email social@umaryland.edu with your research topic, what makes it unique, and why it would have a broad interest. Topics that are covered in the news, relevant in pop culture, or tied to an awareness month/week/day make ideal Reddit AMAs.