Read about the works of UMB authors, including School of Social Work Dean Judy Postmus, in the latest issue of “CATALYST” magazine.
Judy L. Postmus, PhD, ACSW, dean, University of Maryland School of Social Work (UMSSW). “Building Financial Empowerment for Survivors of Domestic Violence: A Path to Hope and Freedom (Violence Against Women and Children).” (Rutgers University Press, 2023)
Each year, millions of women throughout the world experience violence and abuse at the hands of their intimate partner. Abusers coercively control them by using a variety of tactics ranging from physical or sexual violence to emotional or psychological abuse. An additional tactic often used includes financial abuse in which the abuser controls the money in the family, exploits the victim’s financial standing, and interrupts her efforts to be self-sufficient. The impact of financial abuse can leave women financially trapped in the relationship with limited financial management skills, knowledge, or self-confidence. Indeed, survivors often mention financial barriers as a top reason for keeping them trapped by the abuser in the relationship. Little of the research on domestic violence has sought to fully understand the impact of financial abuse or determine which intervention strategies are most effective for the financial empowerment of survivors. “Building Financial Empowerment for Survivors of Domestic Violence” aims to address this critical knowledge gap by providing those who work with survivors of domestic violence with practical knowledge on how to empower the financial well-being and stability of survivors. Specifically, every practitioner, human service provider, criminal justice practitioner, financial manager, and corporate supervisor should be screening the women they encounter for economic abuse, and when such abuse is found, they should work with the women toward developing financial safety plans and refer survivors to financial empowerment programs to assist survivors to become free from abuse.
Read about the other books in the Book Roundup in the spring issue of CATALYST magazine.
You can read the Spring 2023 issue of CATALYST magazine, which highlights the work of the University's women deans; the School of Medicine’s research to fight malaria; the School of Nursing’s partnership with Enoch Pratt Library to offer health care; the Graduate School’s new MS in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Leadership; UMB’s sustainability efforts to install beehives; and much, much more!