Transnational Marriage Abandonment (TMA) is defined as a type of abuse in which an abuser abandons the victim-spouse in that victim-spouse’s country of origin, without means to return to the United States. The abuser, who is usually a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, then has sole access to shared children who remain in the United States and all the couple’s assets. TMA occurs in all communities and is a form of power and control where abusers take advantage of immigrant survivors’ vulnerabilities.
If you are an advocate, attorney, or other professional working with a survivor of transnational marriage abandonment, you can receive legal technical assistance by contacting End Abuse at 608-255-0539.