Coerced Debt – A Family Backwater

Coerced debt is typically a form of family exploitation. It commonly begins with using a partner’s credit without their knowledge.   

One partner might buy items on Amazon.com using their partner’s credit card information stored in the computer. Or, someone might use a partner’s social security number and other personal information to take out a loan.

This easily graduates to the threat of harm to a partner in taking on debt–with the spoken or unspoken threat that if they don’t go along, they’ll be sorry.  

Eventually, low-income spouses and girlfriends may feel compelled to take out bail bonds for jailed partners. 

Later, they may not be able to repay their bond debts — because their partners have stolen from them once they are freed.

 Coerced debt can be overwhelming because survivors often blame themselves, making statements like, “I should have known better.”  

We need to create room for bankruptcy judges and other officials to forgive coerced debts.