No Safety Without Security: The Hidden Cost of Abuse with Erika, Founder of CSAJ

"Is Anybody Out There?” is a powerful and heartfelt podcast co-hosted by Patti Collins and Andrea Langefeld, empowered by Women Helping Women. Dedicated to raising awareness about domestic violence, the show creates a safe and supportive space where survivors, advocates, and allies can speak, be heard, and find connection. Each episode shines a light on the many forms of abuse—emotional, physical, financial, and psychological—through unfiltered survivor stories, expert perspectives, and practical resources for healing and empowerment. Through survivor stories, expert conversations, musical guests, and open listener call-ins, each episode builds a community of hope, strength, and understanding. Whether you’re surviving, healing, or supporting someone who is, this podcast reminds you: you are not alone. Join Patti Collins and her guests as they break the silence, end the stigma, and empower women everywhere.

In this powerful and eye-opening episode of Is Anybody Out There? Erika Sussman, the visionary founder of the Center for Survivor Agency and Justice (CSAJ). Through her work as an attorney and national advocate, Erika has seen firsthand that there is no safety without economic security — and that financial abuse is one of the most overlooked yet devastating forms of domestic violence. Erika shares the stories that shaped her mission: Barbara, a teenage immigrant survivor who had a protection order but no resources to survive on her own, and Nasratu, who discovered more than $30,000 in coerced debt she never knew existed. These cases revealed a truth many survivors know too well: without financial stability, leaving can be impossible — and rebuilding can feel out of reach. Together, Patti, Andrea, and Erika explore how economic abuse traps survivors long after the relationship ends, how coerced debt destroys futures, and why 2025 is a crisis moment as funding cuts leave survivors with fewer options than ever. Erika also explains how CSAJ is fighting back through legal training, policy reform, survivor leadership, and national advocacy.

Music Guest:
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If you are a survivor, a supporter, or someone who believes in the power of purpose-driven art — this episode is your reminder that healing can come from unexpected places… and that you are never alone.