When institutional abuse occurs, the physical impacts are the immediate focus, swiftly followed by the emotional fallout it creates. People may battle PTSD for years after, struggling to maintain relationships of any kind; others may experience anxiety and panic disorders, depression, and dissociation. The shame and self-blame are also challenges that survivors frequently have to learn how to overcome. What isn’t often discussed is the financial impact the abuse you experienced causes. This changes here. Learn more about financial recovery and why it matters.
The Financial Fallout Victims Face
It may not be obvious what financial struggles someone may face after being abused, and you may not have even realized them yourself. When you live with PTSD, anxiety, and depression, you may have spent years learning to cope with this. Some days may have been better than others. Those harder days, though, may have resulted in significant time off from work, halting income, or even stunting your career growth. Those promotions you might have wanted could become out of reach because of this time off or because you’ve missed out on vital training.
As well as this, you may have had to pay for relocation. If the abuse happened in Illinois, you may want to move as far away from here as possible to Wyoming, Alaska, or Utah, where your surroundings do not remind you of your old home. A move like this will have cost a small fortune despite it being necessary. Then, you have the cost of therapy sessions, any medical costs, rehab in severe circumstances, and the possibility of debt if you have frequently relied upon credit cards to get you through periods of sick leave.
You Can Fight for Justice and Compensation
Recovering financially gives you several paths. One is to fight for compensation. The benefit is that you can often seek justice at the same time. Lawyers will listen to your Walter Weerts abuse allegations, helping you pursue a claim or lawsuit against the institution, the Diocese of Springfield. No matter who your allegations are about, while compensation is never a guarantee, it is worth seeking out the right help to make it known who did what and whether any institution covered it up or looked the other way.
Getting Your Finances on the Right Path
Even with legal help fighting your corner, it’s worth taking a few moments to consider how you can improve your financial situation. It is better to take back control of it rather than ignore it and hope it will fix itself. You should:
- Explore debt consolidation options to lower the interest rate you are paying.
- Dedicate a portion of money each month to pay for counseling.
- Try to build an emergency fund. Even $5 a month is a good start.
Don’t Necessarily Spend Your Compensation Money Immediately
If you win your compensation claim, don’t feel pressured to spend it right away. Even if you have mountains of debt, holding back a little can be so useful. You’ll likely feel a mixture of emotions, from relief and validation to sadness and grief that years of your life may have been lost. You may feel angry, guilty about not speaking up sooner, or even a feeling of emptiness now that your fight is finished. Giving yourself a moment to feel all this and more allows you to consider all your options for your compensation money with a clearer head. You may want to portion some of it to paying back debt, going on vacation, or donating some of it to a cause that can help others. The choice is yours. The important point is that you don’t spend it immediately when emotional.
