Credit Reporting Policy Brief

Researchers, Adrienne Adams, Ph.D., Angie Littwin, J.D., and Angie Kennedy, Ph.D., have created two, one-page (front and back), policy briefs on coerced debt for use by the advocacy community, based on evidence from their National Science Foundation-funded study Debt as a Control Tactic in Abusive Marriages. (See this webinar for a review of findings.) This brief, Escaping Battered Credit, promotes redefining identity theft to include debt created by coercion.

Advocates from at least 19 states are engaging in the important work of pushing for legal reform for coerced debt. The briefs are designed to support these existing efforts, as well as advocates who want to get started. The goal is for advocates to use them to inform legislators and legislative staff members about why they should address coerced debt.  

We want your feedback! Please let us know if you use these briefs and how they can be improved. If you would like to use a brief but it does not reflect the exact legal change you’re proposing, we can update the “Proposed Solution” section to reflect your bill. Please contact Angie Littwin at alittwin@law.utexas.edu.  

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