The scope of domestic abuse is not limited to the physical bruises left on its victims. Ludy Green, the author of Ending Domestic Violence Captivity, and domestic violence survivor Kate Ranta joined HuffPost Live host Caroline Modarressy-Tehrani today to discuss the role finances can play in the vicious cycle of domestic abuse.
"When I met my ex-husband, I was a single mom living within my means, nothing extravagant," said Ranta. "But when I met him, he sort of introduced me to a bit of a better life. But the key is that I entered the relationship zero debt. I had no credit cards, my credit score was good, and coming out of that relationship, I had taken on probably three different credit cards that were completely maxed out. He promised me that he would help me pay them off and that never happened... I couldn't afford the life that we had established... I did leave, and then when I went back to him, that was a big reason why."
Green, who is also the founder of Second Chance Employment Services, explained how the financial restrictions enabled the cycle of Ranta's suffering, just as it has with countless other victims.
"She really had the desire to leave," Green said of Ranta, "but she didn't have the power because she was not financially independent and probably she didn't have the people around her that could assist her in the way to escape."
To hear their full conversation about the financial side of domestic violence, watch the full HuffPost Live video in the clip above.