I’m not one to listen to peoples conversations when I’m sitting on a train. I normally use the time to read one of my many books that I have in a queue. However I heard something and thought is it abuse?

Two girls got on the train, friends on their way to go to shopping. They were quite loud, as some girls can be when they are having fun.

From the conversation I picked up the girls were 16. How I wish I was 16 again!

Anyways this girl went on to say that she didn’t have any money. Her friend said what you have 0 in your bank account? The girl replied with I don’t have a bank account.

Maybe it’s because I’m in banking but I thought it was odd, each to their own.

Anyways, the girl continued to say to her friend that her dad said he doesn’t trust her to have one for herself.

She then went on to say that when she gets a job, he said the money can go into his account and he will put it in her savings.

This is where I really got distracted and I had to stop reading. A 16 year old girl isn’t allowed a bank card and all her money is being deposited into her dads account.

Sirens in my head scream financial abuse. But then also, I don’t have children, I don’t know her background and I don’t know any reasons behind it.

However, as she went on saying, without that bank card she couldn’t even get an Uber if she was stranded somewhere.

Is it a form of abuse? Or is it protection?