Banks Could Make it Easier for Domestic Abuse Survivors to Leave

  • by: Care2 Team
  • recipient: Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo
We often hear about people, especially women, in relationships suffering physical, emotional and psychological abuse. One thing that's often left out of the conversation is financial abuse, and it's one of the biggest reasons women struggle to leave abusive relationships. Right now, most major banks require both partners on a joint account to agree and show up to dissolve the account, but that's a huge problem for someone who is being economically abused. 

Sign this petition if you want the three biggest banks in America to create policies that would allow an abused partner to easily dissolve a joint account and therefore earn their financial freedom.

There are countless stories of battered people, particularly women, being held hostage when trying to leave relationships. And right now, big banks have a hand in that power dynamic. Even when women show proof of abuse including court orders, letters from therapists, etc., banks still require the partners to both show up. This causes an abused person unbelievable pain, it also requires them to try to reason with someone who is actively trying to control them and make their lives harder. 

I understand that banks have this policy in place for a reason. But it seems like they could easily make policies that would exempt someone who has been abused from having to follow this protocol when they can show proof of the abuse. The inability to get their financial freedom is one of the most highly cited reasons women stay in abusive relationships, but it doesn't need to be that way.

If Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo cared about their clients and the safety of women at large, they would find a way to solve this problem. As a community, we can do better to support victims when they finally get the courage to leave. This is just one step in that direction. 

Sign on to tell these banks to do the right thing and make it easier for abused people to get freedom from a partner.
Sign Petition
Sign Petition
You have JavaScript disabled. Without it, our site might not function properly.

Privacy Policy

By signing, you accept Care2's Terms of Service.
You can unsub at any time here.

Having problems signing this? Let us know.