Financial abuse affects more than 50% of women in abusive relationships and cuts across income levels.
Financial abuse affects more than 50% of women in abusive relationships and cuts across income levels, according to Rynhardt de Lange, director and head of legal at Milaw Legal.
"Even women who can financially support themselves often face coercive control and manipulation from their partners, leaving them trapped in abusive relationships," De Lange said.
Rene Moonsamy, director at National Debt Counsellors, explained that financial abuse can take many forms, including controlling access to money, withholding financial information, pressuring a partner to take out credit, using their accounts or income for another person's benefit, or leaving them responsible for debt incurred during a relationship.
A key warning sign, Moonsamy said, was when one partner no longer had meaningful control over their own finances.
