Separating or having relationship issues? 

There are so many considerations when family life and relationships become challenging. Increasingly, the impact of mental health, personality disorders, and alcohol and drug dependency are changing the landscape of family relationships. 

Evidence suggests that more women than ever before are being subjected to financial abuse from their partners. While this is not restricted to one gender, research carried out by the University of Auckland in 2003 and 2019 found that the proportion of women who suffered economic abuse almost doubled.

Often people think there is no way out. There is. 

Getting informed early on will enable you to navigate your situation. Knowing your rights, the rights of any children, and the reality of your legal position, can help you make informed choices instead of fear-based ones.

The law can provide protection for those who need it. There is the ability to seek urgent financial assistance from the income earning partner if they threaten to stop their support. There is urgent protection available from control of money, psychological abuse and children being exposed to the unhealthy environment of an already ‘broken’ home.

Processes can be put in place before any complete breakdown too, to minimise the impact of a separation on the relationship and your children, and to increase the likelihood of a healthy co-parenting relationship in separate homes. 

We know it can be daunting to seek out legal advice from a family lawyer but if this is happening to you, you are not alone in what you are dealing with. We can equip you with knowledge early on, in the hope it helps reach a faster resolution, reducing the need for greater assistance from lawyers in the long term.