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An Online Resource Library on Gender-Based Violence.

Credit

Credit & Domestic Violence
Survivors of domestic violence often face barriers to economic self-sufficiency, and many find themselves unable to leave an abusive partner – or forced to return – for economic reasons. The following resources provide basic information on credit and credit scoring, and are tailored to providing survivors with tools they need to obtain economic self-sufficiency.

csaj.pngThe Center for Survivor Agency and Justice (CSAJ), a national organization dedicated to enhancing advocacy for survivors of intimate partner violence, hosted a webinar series on credit. The organization has made available the recordings and presentations from this series. Specific topics covered include:

  • Credit Reporting and Repair for Survivors: This webinar is designed to help survivors recognize credit-related economic abuse; understand credit reports, credit scores, and their purpose; protect future credit and identity; dispute and rebuild credit reports; understand credit reporting laws, rights, and new developments; and craft strategies to address credit-related challenges.
  • Credit Checks: An Illegitimate Barrier to Employment for Survivors: This webinar is designed to help survivors understand the connection between credit and employment access in the context of survivors’ lives; describe the practice of and current policies related to employment credit checks; discuss individual advocacy strategies to enhance access to employment for survivors based on credit; and develop community and systems change strategies to remove credit-related barriers to employment for survivors.
  • The Use of Identity Theft by Domestic Violence Perpetrators: This webinar focuses on the use of identity theft by domestic violence perpetrators as a method of power and control.

Economic Education Programs for Battered Women: Lessons Learned from Two Settings

This 18th paper in the BCSDV series discusses economic education, sometimes also called, "financial or economic literacy." The discussion describes well-established economic education programs based in domestic violence agencies in Iowa and St. Louis, Missouri and explores the effects of different settings on program development and evolution. The authors share the lessons learned from these programs' experiences and key issues to consider when developing economic education programs for battered women.

About Credit Reports/Scores and Building & Repairing Credit
A credit report is a written compilation of information collected by one of three predominant nationwide credit reporting agencies (CRAs): Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. A credit score is a single number, usually between 350-850 that lenders frequently use to help them decide a person’s ability to repay their debts. Items found below include fact sheets and documents that inform consumers about what they need to know about credit reports, scores, and building and repairing credit histories.

Fact Sheet 6: How Private is My Credit Report

Topics included are: describing what is in a credit report, explaining credit scores, access to credit reports, how individuals can get a copy of their reports, free annual credit reports, dealing with negative information and errors, uses of credit reports for marketing purposes, enforcing rights through lawsuits and government complaints, and describing investigative consumer reports for employment, insurance, and rental housing.

Fact Sheet 6(a): Facts on FACTA

The guide provides statistics and references to reports, including ongoing studies of the credit reporting industry by the Fair Trade Commission.

Laws and Regulations on Credit
The following resources provide basic information, as well as specific text, on federal laws related to credit, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Truth in Lending Act, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, and the Community Reinvestment Act.

The Equal Credit Opportunity Act

This webpage provides background information on the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, which prohibits creditors from discriminating against credit applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age.

Beginner CRA Manual

Advocates may find this manual helpful for capacity building on the CRA and for determining strategies for collaboration in their respective communities.

Fact Sheet: Community Reinvestment Act

In addition to providing basic background information on the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), this fact sheet identifies institutions covered by the CRA and discusses the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s responsibilities with respect to the CRA.

Truth in Lending (Information on the Truth in Lending Act)

This document provides a wealth of information on the Truth in Lending Act, which mandates that credit and charge card companies disclose their interest rates and other information about an account to the borrower before processing the loan.
Credit Counseling
In addition to describing the credit counseling process, the following resources can help connect consumers to reputable credit counseling agencies or organizations.

Choosing a Credit Counselor

This webpage provides tips on obtaining a reputable credit counseling organization or agency, including questions to ask to help find the best counselor. It also provides background information on debt management plans as well as other debt relief options.

Credit and Debt Counseling

The NFCC is a national network of agencies that provide money management education; confidential budget, credit and debt counseling; and debt repayment plans for individuals and families.
Credit Discrimination and Predatory & Payday Lending
Fair and equitable access to credit is one aspect of credit discrimination. Cost of credit is also part of credit discrimination. Items listed in this section are focused on protections against credit discrimination, as well as predatory practices involving mortgage lending and payday loans. A “predatory loan,” as defined by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, has one or more of the following features: (1) charges more in interest and fees than is required to cover the added risk of lending to borrowers with credit imperfections; (2) contains abusive terms and conditions that trap borrowers and lead to increased indebtedness; (3) does not take into account the borrower’s ability to repay the loan; and (4) often violates fair lending laws by targeting women, minorities, and communities of color.

What Protections Do I Have Against Credit Discrimination?

This webpage defines credit discrimination, as well as provides tips as to how individuals can protect themselves against credit discrimination. Individuals who believe they have been discriminated against can submit a complaint through a link provided on the webpage.

The Equal Credit Opportunity Act

This webpage provides background information on the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, which prohibits creditors from discriminating against credit applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age.

Don’t be a Victim of Loan Fraud

This brochure lists eleven tips for being a “smart consumer” when looking to buy a home. It also describes predatory lending and details tactics used by predators.

Predatory Lending Practices

This webpage provides brief descriptions of some of the most common predatory mortgage lending abusive practices.
Credit & Housing
The following resources detail the rights of survivors of domestic violence who are seeking housing, as well as statistics on home ownership.

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Homeownership & Housing

This report provides an analysis of housing and home ownership, including the gap between white households and households of color, and the need for states to proactively support safe and affordable routes to homeownership.