HR0089 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0089 LRB101 07932 MST 52987 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Nearly all domestic violence victims also face financial abuse, and there is a new push to shine a light on this invisible form of abuse; and

WHEREAS, Intimate partner violence costs the country an estimated $8.3 billion each year in mental health and medical care and lost productivity from paid and household work; victims of domestic violence bear tremendous additional costs over their lifetimes from dealing with the criminal justice system and incurring losses related to health problems and work productivity; some studies estimate those costs at more than $100,000 for women and $23,000 for men; and

WHEREAS, An abuser might destroy the victim's credit by taking out cards in the partner's name and racking up debt, ruining the victim's ability to get an apartment or a car; an abuser might empty joint bank accounts; the abuser often micromanages the family's money, allotting the victim an allowance and demanding approval of every purchase; other abusers sabotage victims' employment by refusing to let them use the car or disrupting them at the workplace; and

WHEREAS, Financial abuse has few specific programs or laws to address it in the U.S. but new financial abuse legislation in the U.K. and Australia could serve as models for change here; advocacy groups and foundations in the U.S. have recently launched campaigns aimed at raising awareness about this little-known aspect of domestic violence; and

WHEREAS, The United States is far behind when it comes to recognizing financial abuse; we need to understand that other forms of abuse, not just physical harm, are significant and should be criminal; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge more attention be directed to the financial aspect of domestic abuse, and that laws and policies be crafted to help those victims of financial abuse.