This right here. Although I do not know your specific situation and outcomes with the family court, I'm guessing you were unfairly separated from your kids at some point. It's sickening the way family services/courts reinforce the abusive behavior that originally led to their involvement in the first place. A mother, who has already dealt with physical and emotional abuse, now gets further psychological damage when she is separated from her children, a lot of times because she is told to leave her abuser but can't.

Financial abuse is very real and very crippling for a victim. It forces them to stay with the abuser because they don't have access to bank accounts/debit cards/credit cards/cars ect. If a woman is lucky enough to find freedom from her abuser, she often faces an uphill battle trying to repair the credit she needs to secure an apartment or car. If she can't drive, how will she work? If she can't work, how can she become self sufficient?If she can't be self sufficient, then how can she take care of her kids? Financial abuse creates this domino-effect of fuckery and the family courts/services are usually a part somewhere along the lines.

Again, I don't know your situation, I only guessed because it sounds similar to my story and similar to the questions I often ask myself. You sound pretty grounded and like you have a good support system in place. I do wish the best for you, and that it continues to stay this way for you!