Financial strategies for escaping an abusive relationship

RECENTLY, President Cyril Ramaphosa declared gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) a national crisis.

- NICOLA MAWSON

The statistics are devastating: three women are killed by an intimate partner every day in South Africa, and a quarter of women have reported experiencing physical or sexual abuse, according to the South African Medical Research Council.

As we mark 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, new data from Statistics South Africa reveals 60 000 sexual offence incidents involving 44 000 victims between April last year and March this year. Only 56.3% were reported to police. About a sixth of reported incidents involved a spouse or intimate partner. And some people were abused more than once.

Psychological abuse is equally insidious. Almost a sixth of those affected experience it daily, yet only 26.6% report it to police.

"For years, South Africa has been confronted with the deeply rooted reality of violence against women and children. Despite multiple interventions by government and civil society, this violence persists," says Bridget Masango, chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Social Development.

If you're in an abusive relationship, leaving requires more than courage - it requires a plan. Here's how to prepare financially.

Find the right legal support first

Attorney Simone Lamberti tells Personal Finance that even finding the courage to see a lawyer is a massive undertaking. Each case is unique, and it makes no difference whether you're successful in business or a homemaker - abuse "does not discriminate".