What if the most powerful weapon in an abusive relationship isn’t a fist, but a login? We sit down with Jordyn Lawson, Chief Residential Officer at Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support, to unpack how financial abuse and coerced debt quietly trap survivors—even long after they leave. From paychecks diverted into hidden accounts to loans opened under threat or deception, money becomes a leash: it governs housing, food, credit, and the ability to move toward safety.

Jordyn shares what frontline work reveals: the overwhelming prevalence of financial control, the shock of discovering debts for cars or even boats survivors never saw, and why credit scores can become gatekeepers to a new home or job. We connect the dots between personal harm and public cost—billions lost to intimate partner violence, millions of workdays missed, and the chilling number of workplace homicides tied to abusers. Most importantly, we map the way forward: how to spot red flags, how loved ones can support without minimizing, and how workplaces should prepare to protect employees targeted by abusers.

There’s real hope in policy and practice. We highlight legal reforms that recognize coerced debt as identity theft in Texas, how survivors can challenge fraudulent accounts, and why advocacy partnerships streamline credit repair with minimal cost. We also dig into financial literacy strategies that restore control—pulling credit reports on safe devices, securing independent accounts, documenting coercion, and planning for deposits and child care. Along the way, we confront enduring myths about who works, who controls the money, and why “everyone fights about finances” is not a free pass for abuse.

If you care about safety, equity, or simply want to help someone you love, this conversation gives you clear tools and next steps. Listen, share with a friend, and help us push for policies and workplace practices that put safety first. If this episode resonates, subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: what change would most improve financial safety for survivors?