Financial literacy determines whether women can support themselves independently or if they will have to return to economic dependence. Financial freedom means different things to different people: for some it is paying off a mortgage, for others it is a comfortable pension or capital accumulation. However, for women in relationships with a financial abuser, it may simply mean having enough funds to leave those relationships.
According to a national survey conducted by the National Council for Natural Sciences in November 2025, one in eight women over 18 in South Africa has experienced financial abuse, with more than half reporting controlling behavior in the relationship.
Simon Dippenaar, founder of the law firm Simon Dippenaar & Associates, notes that women are often subjected to violence or even death while trying to break up with an aggressor. Therefore, he emphasizes that careful planning is critical, and an exit plan must include financial aspects.
Kenshani Nobanda, Head of Marketing and Corporate Affairs at Nedbank, states that financial abuse deprives a person of autonomy. She explains that a woman whose income is controlled by an abusive partner is not financially free. Similarly, a person who is forbidden from working, or one forced into debt, who lacks access to their own bank account or is under daily financial control, also cannot be considered financially free.
Freedom as Autonomy
Nobanda adds that financial independence goes far beyond owning financial products. In her words, financial freedom is the ability to make decisions about one's finances independently, rather than under the influence of someone else. She clarifies that this means the ability to earn, save, invest, spend, and accumulate wealth without fear, coercion, or dependence, knowing that the future is determined by one's own choice, not another person's control.
Hayley Parry, Head of Education at Worth, believes that financial autonomy rests on two pillars: a traditional emergency fund and a separate personal 'Freedom Fund'. She advises having an amount in the emergency fund to cover living expenses for three to six months. Regarding the 'Freedom Fund', Parry explains that it is essentially a reserve fund whose existence is known only to you. The idea is that this money is saved in the hope that it will never be needed, but it serves as a financial safety net if it is necessary to leave a toxic relationship or even a workplace.
Parry insists that this Freedom Fund must remain confidential and serve exclusively as a path to financial salvation if circumstances require it. She also mentions that women can collectively create such support networks by discussing how this can be organized within a women's community, similar to a سقwell system.
Parry compares this fund to a financial parachute or a safety net that provides time and space to leave and develop new plans.
Autonomy
Parry advocates for women to have financial autonomy and be able to manage all aspects of their financial lives, including earnings, savings, and retirement planning, regardless of the state of their relationship. She emphasizes the critical importance of forming and maintaining a personal financial identity. In such situations, according to Parry, women need to know their credit score and ensure its growth by opening financial products or a line of credit in their name, even using their 'benefits' if necessary.
Parry warns that the lack of products or bank accounts in one's name creates an extremely problematic situation, due to which a person may be excluded from many financial services, either unintentionally or under pressure. The consequences of this can be very serious. Simon Dippenaar notes that if a woman has her own income, she is in a relatively strong position, but her employment may have been restricted or she may have been assigned a minimum benefit.
Parry advises securing a line of credit and building a credit score in advance before it is needed. She points out that if a person leaves a job without salary for two months, an attempt to open a credit card is unlikely to succeed.
The Real Situation
Simon Dippenaar recommends that women experiencing financial abuse open a new bank account at a different bank than the one used by their partner, preferably visiting a branch to speak with a consultant and exclude the possibility of correspondence being sent home. He notes that bank employees have encountered similar situations and know how to help.
David Kruu-Brown, Risk Director at Nedbank, states that financial abuse often leaves a financial trail that can easily be mistaken for poor financial habits. He says that a person under coercive control may suddenly miss payments, accumulate debts they did not choose, or their income may become unstable because they were forbidden from working.
Kruu-Brown adds that according to the traditional risk assessment model, such behavior might only appear as signs of increased credit risk, whereas in reality, it could indicate financial abuse. He concludes that some clients make limited, not free, decisions, and that financial records themselves do not always reveal the full picture. Financial data shows what happened, but does not always explain why.
Parry advises women to approach their finances strategically in advance in case they need funds to leave a toxic relationship. Dippenaar concludes that if a woman does not have her own resources, the effectiveness of her financial planning will be the decisive factor between surviving independently and returning to economic vulnerability.