The Hidden Reality of Financial Abuse and Coercive Control | Emily Rose Chadwick

What happens when the systems designed to protect families leave women struggling to survive? On this powerful episode of lovelustlaw , attorney Michele Locke sits down with Emily Rose Chadwick, founder of the Mama Wilder Foundation, a nonprofit providing emergency cash grants to women navigating family court battles, financial hardship, and life after abuse. Emily shares her deeply personal journey as a single mother in Colorado, revealing how experiences with financial abuse, restraining orders, custody disputes, and a disappointing criminal justice outcome exposed critical gaps in support for women facing crisis. What began as grassroots fundraising through social media evolved into the Mama Wilder Foundation, a growing organization helping women pay for essentials like rent, groceries, transportation, and legal-related expenses when they need it most. The conversation dives into the hidden realities of coercive control, why stay-at-home and homesteading mothers are often especially vulnerable to financial dependence, and how abusers can use money as a tool of power. Emily and Michele also explore modern dating after divorce, identifying red flags and green flags in relationships, co-parenting challenges, digital evidence in family court, and the importance of maintaining financial autonomy. **DISCLAIMER** The information shared in this podcast is intended for entertainment purposes only. It should not be considered as professional legal advice or a substitute for seeking professional legal advice. Subscribe Here: lovelustlaw - Apple Podcasts lovelustlaw - Spotify Podcasts lovelustlaw - Amazon Music lovelustlaw - YouTube Want to reach out to me? You can email me at hello@michelelocke.com . Just remember Michele is spelled with one L and you can thank my mother Margo for that :) Want to find out what I'm up to? Follow me on socials (linked below). Links Michele Locke https://www.michelelocke.com/ https://www.instagram.com/attorneymichelelocke/ https://www.tiktok.com/@attorneymichelelocke https://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-locke/ https://www.youtube.com/@attorney-michelelocke Emily Rose Chadwick Instagram https://www.instagram.com/emilyrosechadwick/?hl=en https://www.instagram.com/themamawildernonprofit/?hl=en Threads https://www.threads.com/@emilyrosechadwick Substack https://substack.com/@emilyrosechadwick TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@emily.rose.chadwick Mama Wilder Foundation https://themamawilderfoundation.org/ A 501(c)(3) nonprofit for women, by women. We provide small cash grants to women all over the United States. Most of our applicants are mothers navigating the family court system. <strong