Survey shows SA's happiest women are married, child-free and self-employed

The results from Women24.com's latest annual survey are in...

Article: FD Beachhead

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Money does seem to pave the path to equality when it comes to women. This is according to the 2008 Women24.com Female Nation Survey – which polled 8 400 women and was released today – which shows that the lives of South African women across different race groups are increasingly similar once they earn a more affluent salary.

Women24.com – South Africa's largest women's website – polled a cross-section of women in the 2008 Female Nation Survey to seek their views on money, career, sex, family – and everything else in between.

The sample was weighted to provide a representative sample of three million urban South African women, over 20 years of age earning R2 500 or more per month.

How do more affluent women's lives compare?

A closer examination of the results of Black, White, Coloured and Indian/Asian urban women earning over R16 000 a month revealed that they live similar lives; not only do most of them work, but the majority are the main breadwinners (B: 76%, W: 62%, C: 67%) and all have shockingly high levels of debt (B: 91%, W: 74%, C: 88%, I/A: 80%).

There are some notable differences however. Black women are the least likely to ever have been married with 42% never having tied the knot, whereas over half of the other groups are married.

"Are affluent Black women intimidating their suitors, or does the institution of marriage no longer hold value to them since they can support themselves and their families?", asks Sam Wilson, Editor-in-Chief of Women24.com.

Affluent Black women seem to have a substantially stronger body image than their sisters, with 19% being very happy with their bodies, as compared to less than 7% in other groups.

Sadly though, Black women continue to make greater sacrifices. 80% of women who live away from their children are Black, and 13% of Black new mothers live away from their babies, as opposed to only 3% of White new moms.

And that most valued work commodity, flexibility, also remains least available even to more affluent Black and Coloured women; only 1% of them are work from home, while 8% of White women work from home.

Breaking the mould

The picture painted by the survey reveals that South African women have shrugged off Victorian notions of propriety; 1 in 3 never-married women have had a least one biological child.

Furthermore, white picket fences and nuclear families are increasingly rare; 1 in 10 married women live alone (and that excludes women who are separated), 1 in 5 have at least one step-child, and 1 in 14 have one adopted child.

Who is happiest?

Wilson is concerned that almost half of the women who described themselves as "frequently depressed and anxious" are primary caregivers, while the happiest of all are married child-free self-employed women. "Clearly the burden on mothers remains immense," she says.

"It is fascinating that the happiest of all women are those who are self-employed, rather than those who work part-time", says Wilson. 6% are self-employed; of whom 87% are happy with their employment status, while of the 6% who work part-time, only 54% are happy with their employment status.

Wilson believes this indicates the answer to female happiness lies in the flexibility and integration of roles that self-employment brings. "Self-employed women can choose what to do and when to do it.

Working full or part-time means women must compartmentalize their lives, and this makes them stressed. It's a rush from being Mom, to worker, to Mom to wife each day".

Sex: we don’t walk the talk

Despite the dangers associated with unprotected sex, 43 % of women never use a condom and this figure, at 70%, is even higher among married women. "Women are confusing trust with stupidity", warns Wilson.

"If you are not going to use a condom, you need to be damn sure your partner has a clean bill of health, and you both need to be regularly tested for HIV and other STDs."

While it may be a relief for some to know that most married women only have sex once a week, this drops off steeply as women age. 20% of married women aged 55-59 have not had sex in the past year and this jumps to 33% for married women aged between 60 and 64.

"I'm banking on it being their aging partners' problem", jousts Wilson. "Time to invest in some Viagra."

Get off the couch, and stop bingeing

When it comes to our health we are in denial and out of control says Wilson. Almost half of the respondents don't exercise – not even a walk around the block – and yet they would like to believe they are healthy. Only 11% of women aged 35-39 believe they are not healthy.

"The big worry around our health", says Wilson, "is bingeing." Around 1 in 5 women smoke, with 16% being habitual smokers, and 8% being social smokers. Nearly 1 in 5 women describe themselves as binge drinkers, and 36% describe themselves as 'social drinkers' (1 to 2 drinks a night). And drinking and smoking go together; 34% of social smokers binge drink, and 29% of everyday smokers binge drink.

"The results of the Female Nation Survey provide some revealing insights into the lives and challenges of South African women. It's the largest on-line survey of its nature in the country and it has grown significantly since its inception in 2006", says Wilson.

Prepared by:
FD Beachhead
Dani Cohen 021 487 9000 / 082 468 6469/ dani.cohen@fd.com
Jean Dennis 021 487 9000 / 083 500 5302 / jean.dennis@fd.com

On behalf of: Women24.com

Further comment:
Sam Wilson, Editor-in-Chief of Women24.com 084 749 9470 / editor@women24.com

Congratulations! I don't know if its new but I applaud journalists who give their contact details, clearly having the courage to stand by their words. I was appalled last night at Carte Blanche with their "insider" in SAA , could have been someone they picked up off the street. If you talk to the media and do not have the courage to give your identity then anything you say should be treated with the utmost suspicion...nothing more than gossip.

i wish ppl wld stop blaming everything on alcohol and take resposibility for their own actions.One doesn't find everlasting happiness with a momentarily endeavour but with self-appreciation and acknowledging own mistakes.Live life with your own choices made with a clear conscious and stand your ground! Some shld know that yesterday is gone for tomorrow is another today!

Interesting data but what left me apprehensive(well considering that i'm 28 years,fairly attractive,great job,smart but still unhitched) is the higher stat of unmarried Black women within the over R16000pm earning range. Does this mean it becomes more difficult for a girl to snag a better half, the higher they climb up the ladder. This reminded me of an Oprah show where African American professional women were bemoaning the unavailability of suitable partners. Makes a girl wonder...

when guys find you attrective but cant approch you cause they feel somehow intimidated by the way you present your self(clothes, car).come on guys we are looking, forget my payslips. its vey annoying to see somebody how is trying just because they know you are going to turn them down.

Very intresting points from the survey i'm a black man corncen about our black sister married or not.It says 76% B/W are bread winners and 91% B/W are highly in debt.My fellow balck sister where is happiness there?Stress decreases your sex life.Change the life of style you will see sex will be one in yor life cause money cant buy you happiness.Marraige its worse those who are not married they must forgett there are no more cows for Lobolla.THAT ARE LEFT NOW ARE FOR UNVEILINNGS[THOMBSTONE] and Funerals.Sorry

I reached the R16K mark five years ago and I'm 28 and a director in my company.I have my own house,driving a 3seriesBMW and definitely not indebted at all. I am in a relationship and very happy and no he's not an old man.He's 5yrs older than me. Some guys appreciate the hard work that some B/W have achieved.It takes a grown men to realise what he has instead of feeling insecured. And ladies,take it from me,let the guys wear the pants in your relationships.Nobody cares how much you earn,it's your earning afterall unless you intentionally rub it into people's faces.If you're serious about getting a man,a changed of attitude is essential.Remember what you say with your tounge usually determines the people you attract in your life

i know a lot of young women around their late 20s would like to settle down and start a family but it is sad that our brothers don't seem to be feeling that way, mostly because they are intimidated with the number of zeros in our payslips which at the end of the day doesn't mean a thing.

Of course what you earn matters – this allows you to dress and present yourself as a lady – earning more than R16,000 pm – you know your worth. Your partner will also know and respect you for what you are and not what others want and think you should be – (A Snob). Remember August 9th is WOMENS DAY – You go girl.....

The more women are in the work place and have a high powered career the less chance they have of living a normal balanced life. Why cause high powered women are Biatches. It does not come naturally for them. Let the men do the careers and women sideline the man jobs income as where a women adds the most value is being mothers. Behind every sucessfull man is a women. My main point (trying not to generalise)is let everyone do what they desire but do what comes naturally

ladies from a man point of view, we are not attracted by your pay or are we intimidated by it. what repels us is a woman who thinks money is everything. we want independent thinkers who knows that his man is the king in his castle and you are the queen. we are looking for women who will respect us as man. we want woman who will raise our girls to respect themselves and respect their man. man needs respect that is all, ngesizulu bathi ihlonipha nalapho ingeyikwendela khona

Since when has it become acceptable to have children when unmarried? I don't think so. Unmarried mothers ( or single parents, as the euphemism is nowadays) are part of the problem of child behaviour problems later.

As a man, I find an ambitious woman very attractive. You could be earning a R1000.00 a mnth or R20 000.00 per mnth. If you know where you are going, I would like to come along for the ride, because we r a team and we r taking each other places. A relationship isnt a competition. Its a partnership. Ambitious women out there do your thing, BUT dont look at me funny just because I take a taxi to work and dont wear squared toed shoes and a striped shirt with a blazer

Thanks for the information it encourages and also alerts us of some stupid mistakes we sometimes make as married women. On that note I would like to say that I'm black, married with two boys. I stay with my family and honestly, my life is fulfilled. My kids complete my life. I'm being spoiled by all of them,my hubby and my boys. For me happiness means both husband,kids and work. Keep up the good work of updating us of what is happening around us(women).

I had a girlfriend who drove me around in her car. When we argued, she'd pull over and say, "Get out! This is my car!" We got over it, we got married, and here we are 30 years later, 2 fine kids (both professionals in their fields) and we can still go for a walk on the beachfront holding hands. I think its called mutual respect. Takes time, but you get there ...

at this day and era,I Believe that its is even harder for African uneducated/unemployed woman to survive and that leads to lots of unhappiness.lets look at it this way!if you are financially secured its easier to live by. its impottant to at least get one qualification or skill to SURVIVE...

It is rather astonishing that there are so many women who are not married but with kids. shame on the male partners for their role as well. when women cried for jesus on the cross he said "do not cry for me rather cry for the future nation that will die from aids, a nation that will die from diseases and crime[". Every problem in this country relates to how people behave. Aids is a direct result of sex before marriage. crime will stop the day people start obeying the word of God. people shouldnt be dying at the age of 60 or 70m, in fact that is too early. we can all live for 600 years if only we pleas God. God has nothing to do with car accident, crime, hunger, they all come from the devil. Sin attracts satan and good behaviour attracts God and eternity.