Sarah’s husband was not only the primary earner in the household, but he also controlled the family’s finances. In addition to physically abusing her, he would withhold Sarah’s “allowance” so that she and their children could not afford the co-payment to see a doctor and get the health care they needed.
Unbeknownst to Wendy, her partner amassed hundreds of thousands of dollars in credit card debt in her name. After their breakup, she learned that she had no legal way of addressing the fraud, and became responsible for repaying the debt that he had accumulated. The stress of paying off this debt took a disproportionate toll on her health, and she developed chronic fatigue syndrome, as well as anxiety and sleep-related disorders.
Stay-at-home mom Janine (all names have been changed) was dependent on her husband’s health insurance for her own care, and the care of her young, chronically ill daughter. Janine did not have any savings, nor was she able to train for a job while taking care of a sick child. Although Janine’s husband was verbally and emotionally abusive to both of them, she was forced to stay in the relationship to ensure that her daughter had access to health care.
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