Men, not women, seek help

Men are far more likely to seek help for debt than women, debt counsellor Consumer Assist said on Tuesday.

"Our research shows, after evaluating more than 20 000 client files, that men are far more likely to go for help than women," it said in a statement.

Consumer Assist CEO Andre Snyman said nearly 58 percent of his organisation's clients were men — with white and black men more likely to seek help than coloured males.

"Coloured men were half as likely to go for help as white men, and a third less apply for debt counselling than black men."

He said Indian men were the least likely to seek help. Only five percent of the men on its books were Indian.

"White women are a third more likely to seek help when they are under financial stress than black women. However, coloured women, although they are less likely to seek help than black women, follow not far behind," he said.

Indian women were the least likely to seek help — only four percent of women requesting debt counselling were Indian.

Snyman said Consumer Assist had yet to delve further into the reasons for the differences in applications. However, "our debt counsellors have told us that single women, especially those who are single parents, are more likely to apply for debt review".

"But very many women are under debt review because they are married in community of property," he said.

Members of the Indian community helped one another through relatives or religious organisations.

"This may be why fewer people from Indian communities come forward for assistance."

Snyman said the figures showed far more awareness needed to be created in black communities about debt counselling and how it worked.

"White people apply for assistance in far greater numbers than their demographic profile would suggest.

"And with 40 percent of children growing up in single-parent households, usually with a mother and with high rates of maintenance defaulting, it is surprising that women are less likely to come forward for help than men."

Snyman suggested that debt counselling campaigns needed to place greater emphasis on education programmes in black communities, and among women.

He said one factor that might make married women less likely to come forward "is that they often don't want to reveal how over-spending or poor budgeting may have seen a crisis emerge within the family finances".

Debt counsellors frequently had to mediate very heated discussions between spouses, and often encouraged them to go for marriage counselling.

While many faith communities tried to assist families meet financial shortfalls by providing groceries, and helping to pay light and water bills, school fees or rent, "many are becoming so overburdened by demands within their communities that they too can no longer cope", Snyman said.

 

Sapa

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