Kerry Washington Designs Purse to Create Awareness About Financial Abuse - VIDEO

Kerry Washington has designed a purse to draw attention to a very specific type of abuse women receive in America: financial abuse.

Washington is a spokesperson for the Allstate Foundation's Purple Purse initiative, which seeks to raise awareness for domestic abuse.

The Scandal star's limited-edition purple purse was designed by the actress to bring attention to the role money plays in situations of domestic violence and to raise money for domestic violence organizations.

Adding to the conversation centered around the Why I Stayed campaign, Washington explained, "It's the reason why so many people stay."

"That whole hashtag #WhyIStayed that happened last week, you saw how many of those responses were about feeling trapped financially."

"I think people just aren't as aware of financial abuse," she continued. "If a woman isn't even aware of the dynamics of financial abuse -- what it looks like, what it is -- she may not even know that that's part of the tools being used to control her and manipulate her and keep her trapped. When there is more information around it, people can begin to identify it and then get the help they need."

She would go on to add, "A purse is a powerful symbol. It's where a woman's economic power lives."

Washington also created a PSA about financial abuse (see above) explaining that, "Finances are almost always a weapon of choice."

"Taking away access to cash, destroying credit, jeopardizing jobs -- financial abuse leaves invisible bruises that can take decades to heal."

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