NCLC Guide to Consumer Rights for Domestic Violence Survivors (2006)
286 pages. $15 ppd.
ISBN-13: 978-1-931697-97-2
ISBN-10: 1-931697-97-3
In bookstores nationwide or call (617) 542-9595.
"An essential guide to helping surviviors establish economic independence and safely assert their rights." Valenda L. Applegarth, Founder and Managing Attorney Relocation Counseling Project, Greater Boston Legal Services
"An invaluable resource for survivors to get back on to their feet financially. This book has great advice about joint property, credit cards, bank accounts, child support collections, credit reports, compensation funds, and much more." Rebecca S. Dempsey, Attorney WIN/Victim Services, PA.
Abuse survivors have financial as well as physical and emotional concerns—they may be left with no income and a stack of unpaid bills that ruin their credit rating and that lead to collection harassment and lawsuits. Financial stress may lead the survivor to return to the abuser or become vulnerable to predatory loans, rip-off car sales, and overpriced child support collection offers.
This guide assists survivors with practical and precise advice from the nation’s consumer law experts on such diverse topics as:
Which debts to pay first
Stopping debt collection harassment
Credit reporting and the effect of the abuser’s credit history
Joint debts, credit cards, debit cards, and bank accounts
Identity theft by the abuser
Using civil protection orders for economic redress
Crime victim compensation funds
Child support and private child support collection agencies
Quickie foreign divorce scams
Federal tax issues for survivors
Bankruptcy—filed by the abuser or the survivor
Driver licenses and address confidentiality
Utility bills, student loans, loans to avoid, and much more.
and NCLC