Post-Separation Abuse Tactics
“Post-separation abuse can be defined as the ongoing, willful pattern of intimidation of a former intimate partner that includes legal abuse, economic abuse, threats and endangerment to children, isolation and discrediting and harassment and stalking.”2
Post-separation abuse involves a range of tactics to terrorize and exploit a former partner’s fundamental human needs.
Post-Separation abuse tactics target the core human needs of survivors causing fear, entrapment, loss of agency and autonomy. Psychological, emotional, financial, physical and sexual abuse, intimidations and harassments experienced before the separation continues and is likely to worsen. Abuse often intensifies after the survivor leaves, because separation threatens the abuser’s control, and psychological manipulation becomes the tool of choice to reassert it.
Financial Abuse: Abuser may withhold financial resources, sabotage employment, and file frivolous lawsuits in order to drain the survivor of any funds she may have.
Legal Abuse: The family court system’s knowledge of abuse tactics is insufficient. Enabling the perpetrator to continue his abuse therein. Victims are often without resources thus lack proper representation. Studies have shown that there is a culture of mother-blaming, punishment and humiliation toward survivors who assert abuse in the family court.
Using the Children: The abuser will use the children to intentionally hurt their mother. They will tell the children lies to cause a rift between the mother and child bond, attempt to get full custody, and brainwash the children to believe an alternate history.
Stalking and Harassment: The abusive partner may engage in stalking or harassment to keep the survivor off balance, instilling fear making it nearly impossible for her to find peace.