BRANCHES | THE STORIES WE CARRY — Episode 3

Recovery • Resilience • Rebuilding

What happens when the relationship ends, but the financial consequences continue?

Economic abuse is becoming more widely recognised, but there’s another part of the conversation we need to have: economic sabotage.

It’s about the deliberate undermining of someone’s financial stability, earning ability, career or future independence.

In this episode, we explore how economic sabotage can affect women during and after a relationship — particularly when they’ve spent years carrying the responsibilities of family life while their own careers, opportunities and financial security have taken a back seat.

We talk about the hidden cost of caring responsibilities, possible attempts to avoid financial obligations, interference with employment, and the financial uncertainty that can make rebuilding feel overwhelming.

Because sometimes, the damage isn’t just about the money you’ve lost. It’s about the opportunities you missed, the earning power you’ve lost, and the future you’re now trying to rebuild.

• What economic sabotage means and how it differs from the wider pattern of economic abuse
• How caring responsibilities can affect women’s careers, income and long-term financial security
• Examples of financial behaviour that may indicate deliberate sabotage or avoidance of responsibility
• Why the financial consequences of abuse can continue long after separation
• Practical steps towards documenting concerns, understanding your finances and finding appropriate advice
• Rebuilding your earning power, independence and future options

What part of your financial future have you put on hold while trying to keep everything else going?

You don’t have to solve everything today. Understanding your circumstances, finding reliable information and taking one practical step can be a beginning.

You are not responsible for somebody else’s decision to control, manipulate or sabotage you. But you deserve the information, support and options to help you decide what happens next.

Discover BRANCHES:

https://smartpa.ge/branches

The crisis may pass, but the aftermath remains.

A note from BRANCHES: BRANCHES is an independent platform sharing lived experiences, practical resources and conversations about life after abuse. It is not a crisis service and does not replace professional legal, financial, medical or mental health advice.

Suggested tags: economic sabotage, economic abuse, coercive control, financial abuse, post-separation abuse, financial independence, women's careers, financial wellbeing, life after abuse, rebuilding confidence, BRANCHES, The Stories We Carry.