If your partner controls the money, one of the most powerful steps you can take is opening your own account. BUT you have to be careful. For many survivors, a traditional bank account isn’t possible due to: ❌ credit ruined by the abuser ❌ shared addresses ❌ mail that the abuser checks ❌ hard credit checks that send alerts So it’s important to find an account you can safely open. My ex had frozen my credit years earlier “for security,” which meant I couldn’t open anything without him knowing. So