Serena Williams Discusses Financial Abuse. Here Are Strategies to Fight It

Tennis great Serena Williams recently made headlines for urging women to recognize financial abuse, which is often one of the first signs of dating violence and is present in 99% of domestic abuse situations. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, more than one in four women in the U.S. are victims of domestic abuse. Just last month, Eva Longoria also highlighted the gender pay gap for Latinas and black women, which also serves to undermine efforts to prevent financial abuse.

“Not being able to use your credit cards, having to show receipts for every little dime that you spend, having freedom of choice taken away from you. Those are all signs,” Williams told Woman’s Day during National Domestic Violence Awareness Month earlier this year. “It’s important to use my voice to shine a spotlight on the barriers women can face when they’re trying to leave.”

Equally as important as educating women about recognizing the signs of financial abuse is giving them the skills to protect themselves from it. This is why the messages and strategies outlined in my new book, Holistic Wealth: 32 Life Lessons to Help You Find Purpose, Prosperity and Happiness, are so important to teach women how to create an empowered financial identity that protects them from abuse, boosts their confidence and leads to…