Women have been urged to take extra precautions. Picture: iStock With the festive season in full swing, the Department of Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD) is warning of an increased risk of financial abuse targeting women and persons with disabilities during the holiday period in South Africa. The festive season is a time for giving, but it’s also when fraudsters are on the prowl.
DWYPD spokesperson Cassius Selala urged women to take extra precautions. “Financial abuse during this period includes controlling access to money, misusing incomes or social grants, forcing debt in their names, or exploiting their economic dependence. During the festive season, many perpetrators may intensify these tactics, leaving women and persons with disabilities financially trapped in debt.” Selala also urged women and persons with disabilities to remain vigilant, emphasising that economic abuse is recognised as a form of domestic violence under South African law.
The department urged vigilance during the festive season. “We must recognise that financial abuse is not only an economic violation; it is a form of control and intimidation used to silence women and persons with disabilities. During the festive season, when financial pressures increase, so does the risk.
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“We encourage families and communities to be vigilant, supportive, and protective of the rights of women and persons with disabilities,” Selala said. Selala stressed that women and persons with disabilities are often denied access to their own salaries, bonuses, savings, and government benefits during this period.
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