I have been a social worker for almost 20 years and have worked with survivors of intimate partner violence. Over the years, survivors would share with me that one of the main reasons that they remain with or return to their abusers was because they could not financially care for themselves and/or their children. Furthermore, from my experience, I also found that survivors were highly likely to experience poverty and struggle financially.
Social workers often work with families that are experiencing financial distress. Often these families rely on social workers for resources and support; however, many social workers do not possess the financial skills, knowledge base, and/or training necessary to help clients build long-term financial security and financial well-being.
I am working towards my Doctorate of Social Work and my capstone project is focusing on building financial capability for survivors. I think that the families that we work with often lack access to traditional financial guidance. As part of this journey, I decided it was important for me to also work towards being an Accredited Financial Counselor. I believe that having the financial skills and principles will help me to better understand how to fill the gap.
~Cindy Morita, LCSW
#MyFinLitStory #FLM19
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