Summarize the following:
. Children in domestic violence homes are more likely to be abused themselves. Even when they are not abused, they may still suffer from emotional and behavioral problems. Abusive parents also are more likely to try to get custody as a way to further retaliate against and control their spouses.  The court will consider the child’s best interests when awarding custody. The judge will take into account domestic violence, the home environment, and other factors.  Talk with your child’s school or daycare to alert them to the situation. Let them know who is authorized to pick up your children from school. . If you are married to your abuser, you need to file for divorce. This will make sure that you are no longer tied legally to this person. File a petition for divorce with the Family Court in your county. Be sure to follow the divorce guidelines for your own state. While most states are similar in procedure, there may be differences depending on your location. This includes social security numbers, custody papers, birth certificates, bank statements, and so on. If you didn’t already collect these before leaving, or it’s not safe to return to your house, then you should be able to get most of these papers from the relevant agencies. For instance, visit the social security office in your area to get new copies of your social security card. Visit your local health department to get copies of birth certificates. Ask your bank for copies of bank statements. It’s important to separate yourself entirely from your abuser, and this includes your bank account, credit cards, insurance, mortgage, and so on. This can be a time-consuming process but it will prevent further harassment and financial abuse. Close your bank account. Start a new account with a different bank. If you can safely do it, make sure to transfer your savings and other assets to this new account. If you have a joint bank account, withdraw half of the available money. This amount is legally yours. If you don’t take the money now, then your abuser may drain the account and leave you with nothing. Oftentimes, an abuser may try to ruin his partner’s credit by opening a credit card in her name using her social security number. This is fraud, even when you are or were married to someone. Make sure that no one can misuse your personal information. Talk with the fraud departments of major credit bureaus. Ask them to place a red flag on your account so that you’ll be alerted any time someone tries to apply for credit with your social security number. Your abuser may have ruined your credit through financial abuse. He may have kept you from being able to develop your own credit rating. If you get a credit card now, then you can start working on improving your credit score. Your abuser can use your credit card statements to track your movements, so you should cancel any cards you already have. Then you can get a new card with a different company.

Summary:
File for custody of your children File for divorce Keep copies of all important papers. Sever all financial ties. Protect your social security number. Work on improving your credit score.