ABOUT THIS EPISODEFinancial coercive control often begins within a relationship, but its effects frequently intensify during separation and the early stages of family court proceedings. In many single-income households, one partner earns income while the other performs caregiving responsibilities that make that income possible. When separation occurs, that economic interdependence does not disappear. However, access to the marital income can become restricted while the caregiving responsibilities remain unchanged.In this survivor conversation, Crystal Fedeli speaks with a woman who navigated financial coercive control while entering the family court system. As she sought relief through the legal process, limited access to financial resources affected her ability to secure legal representation, meet basic needs, and participate fully in the litigation process.Her experience illustrates how financial control can create immediate economic instability and litigation inequality, shaping credibility in court, access to legal advocacy, and the broader dynamics of family court proceedings.TOPICS DISCUSSED#CrystalFedeli#YouMadeaWay#FinancialCoerciveControl#CoerciveControl#EconomicAbuse#FamilyCourt#FamilyCourtSystem#SurvivorStory#DomesticViolenceAwareness#CourtReform#FamilyLaw#CustodyCourt#EconomicJustice#LegalSystemLEARN MORETo learn more about Crystal’s research, organizational consulting, or speaking and training, visit:→ CrystalFedeli.comTo partner with or request support from You Made a Way, visit:→ YouMadeaWay.org

ABOUT THIS EPISODEFinancial coercive control often begins within a relationship, but its effects frequently intensify during separation and the early stages of family court proceedings. In many single-income households, one partner earns income while the other performs caregiving responsibilities that make that income possible. When separation occurs, that economic interdependence does not disappear. However, access to the marital income can become restricted while the caregiving responsibilities remain unchanged.In this survivor conversation, Crystal Fedeli speaks with a woman who navigated financial coercive control while entering the family court system. As she sought relief through the legal process, limited access to financial resources affected her ability to secure legal representation, meet basic needs, and participate fully in the litigation process.Her experience illustrates how financial control can create immediate economic instability and litigation inequality, shaping credibility in court, access to legal advocacy, and the broader dynamics of family court proceedings.TOPICS DISCUSSED#CrystalFedeli#YouMadeaWay#FinancialCoerciveControl#CoerciveControl#EconomicAbuse#FamilyCourt#FamilyCourtSystem#SurvivorStory#DomesticViolenceAwareness#CourtReform#FamilyLaw#CustodyCourt#EconomicJustice#LegalSystemLEARN MORETo learn more about Crystal’s research, organizational consulting, or speaking and training, visit:→ CrystalFedeli.comTo partner with or request support from You Made a Way, visit:→ YouMadeaWay.org

ABOUT THIS EPISODEIn this episode, Crystal Fedeli speaks with sociologist Dr. James “Jim” Ptacek about coercive control, survivor entrapment, and how institutional responses shape the options available to individuals experiencing abuse. While financial coercive control is often understood within intimate relationships, this conversation explores how those dynamics extend beyond the relationship itself and into the systems survivors turn to for support.Drawing on his research, including Feeling Trapped, Jim examines how survivors’ experiences are shaped not only by abuse, but by broader structural forces, including economic constraints, social class, and institutional response. When individuals seek help, the responses they receive can either expand or restrict their available options. In some cases, institutional processes may unintentionally reinforce the very conditions that contribute to entrapment, raising important questions about how systems function in practice.Together, Crystal and Jim explore how financial coercive control intersects with broader patterns of coercion and constraint, how institutional responses can shape both immediate outcomes and longer-term stability, and what this means for individuals navigating systems such as family court. This conversation is part of a broader research series examining how financial coercive control operates in single-income households and how institutional responses can influence both economic stability and access to justice.TOPICS DISCUSSED#CrystalFedeli #YouMadeaWay #JamesPtacek #FinancialCoerciveControl #CoerciveControl #EconomicAbuse #FamilyCourt #InstitutionalResponse #AccessToJustice #DomesticViolenceAwareness #LegalSystem #SurvivorEntrapmentLEARN MORETo learn more about Crystal’s research, organizational consulting, or speaking and training, visit:→ CrystalFedeli.comTo partner with or request support from You Made a Way, visit:→ YouMadeaWay.org

ABOUT THIS EPISODEFinancial coercive control often begins within a relationship, but its effects frequently intensify during separation and the early stages of family court proceedings. In many single-income households, one partner earns income while the other performs caregiving responsibilities that make that income possible. When separation occurs, that economic interdependence does not disappear. However, access to the marital income can become restricted while the caregiving responsibilities remain unchanged.In this survivor conversation, Crystal Fedeli speaks with a woman who navigated financial coercive control while entering the family court system. As she sought relief through the legal process, limited access to financial resources affected her ability to secure legal representation, meet basic needs, and participate fully in the litigation process.Her experience illustrates how financial control can create immediate economic instability and litigation inequality, shaping credibility in court, access to legal advocacy, and the broader dynamics of family court proceedings.TOPICS DISCUSSED#CrystalFedeli#YouMadeaWay#FinancialCoerciveControl#CoerciveControl#EconomicAbuse#FamilyCourt#FamilyCourtSystem#SurvivorStory#DomesticViolenceAwareness#CourtReform#FamilyLaw#CustodyCourt#EconomicJustice#LegalSystemLEARN MORETo learn more about Crystal’s research, organizational consulting, or speaking and training, visit:→ CrystalFedeli.comTo partner with or request support from You Made a Way, visit:→ YouMadeaWay.org

ABOUT THIS EPISODEFinancial coercive control often begins within a relationship, but its effects frequently intensify during separation and the early stages of family court proceedings. In many single-income households, one partner earns income while the other performs caregiving responsibilities that make that income possible. When separation occurs, that economic interdependence does not disappear. However, access to the marital income can become restricted while the caregiving responsibilities remain unchanged.In this survivor conversation, Crystal Fedeli speaks with a woman who navigated financial coercive control while entering the family court system. As she sought relief through the legal process, limited access to financial resources affected her ability to secure legal representation, meet basic needs, and participate fully in the litigation process.Her experience illustrates how financial control can create immediate economic instability and litigation inequality, shaping credibility in court, access to legal advocacy, and the broader dynamics of family court proceedings.TOPICS DISCUSSED#CrystalFedeli #YouMadeaWay #FinancialCoerciveControl #CoerciveControl #EconomicAbuse #FamilyCourt #FamilyCourtSystem #SurvivorStory #DomesticViolenceAwareness #CourtReform #FamilyLaw #CustodyCourt #EconomicJustice #LegalSystemLEARN MORETo learn more about Crystal’s research, organizational consulting, or speaking and training, visit:→ ⁠CrystalFedeli.com⁠To partner with or request support from You Made a Way, visit:→ ⁠YouMadeaWay.org

ABOUT THIS EPISODEIn this episode, Crystal Fedeli speaks with domestic violence educator and author Lundy Bancroft about coercive control and the role financial power can play in family court proceedings.Financial coercive control is often discussed within intimate relationships, but its effects can extend into the legal process itself. When one partner controls access to marital income while the other continues performing the caregiving responsibilities that historically enabled that income, the balance of power in litigation can shift dramatically.Courts often expect each party to independently secure legal representation and advocate for themselves. However, access to financial resources can determine who is able to hire counsel, frame legal arguments effectively, and participate fully in the legal process.In this conversation, Crystal and Lundy explore how financial coercive control can shape litigation power, credibility in court, and the broader dynamics of custody and family law disputes.Together, they discuss coercive control, economic abuse, and the importance of understanding how financial dynamics can influence the structure and fairness of family court proceedings.TOPICS DISCUSSED#CrystalFedeli#YouMadeaWay#FightLikeaGirl#LundyBancroft#FinancialCoerciveControl#CoerciveControl#EconomicAbuse#FamilyCourt#DomesticViolenceAwareness#CourtReform#LegalSystemLEARN MORETo learn more about Crystal’s research, organizational consulting, or speaking and training, visit:→ CrystalFedeli.comTo partner with or request support from You Made a Way, visit:→ YouMadeaWay.org

TOPICS DISCUSSED#CrystalFedeli#YouMadeaWay#FightLikeaGirl#FinancialCoerciveControl#CoerciveControl#EconomicAbuse#FamilyCourt#DomesticViolenceAwareness#CourtReform#LegalSystemLEARN MORETo learn more about Crystal’s research, organizational consulting, or speaking and training, visit:→ ⁠CrystalFedeli.com⁠To partner with or request support from You Made a Way, visit:→ ⁠YouMadeaWay.org

TOPICS DISCUSSED#CrystalFedeli#YouMadeaWay#FightLikeaGirl#FinancialCoerciveControl#CoerciveControl#EconomicAbuse#FamilyCourt#DomesticViolenceAwareness#CourtReform#LegalSystemLEARN MORETo learn more about Crystal’s research, organizational consulting, or speaking and training, visit:→ ⁠⁠CrystalFedeli.com⁠⁠To partner with or request support from You Made a Way, visit:→ ⁠⁠YouMadeaWay.org⁠

TOPICS DISCUSSED#CrystalFedeli#YouMadeaWay#FightLikeaGirl#FinancialCoerciveControl#CoerciveControl#EconomicAbuse#FamilyCourt#DomesticViolenceAwareness#CourtReform#LegalSystemLEARN MORETo learn more about Crystal’s research, organizational consulting, or speaking and training, visit:→ ⁠⁠CrystalFedeli.com⁠⁠To partner with or request support from You Made a Way, visit:→ ⁠⁠YouMadeaWay.org⁠

TOPICS DISCUSSED#CrystalFedeli#YouMadeaWay#FightLikeaGirl#FinancialCoerciveControl#CoerciveControl#EconomicAbuse#FamilyCourt#DomesticViolenceAwareness#CourtReform#LegalSystemLEARN MORETo learn more about Crystal’s research, organizational consulting, or speaking and training, visit:→ ⁠⁠CrystalFedeli.com⁠⁠To partner with or request support from You Made a Way, visit:→ ⁠⁠YouMadeaWay.org⁠