Abstract
M.A.
Violence exacts an enormous social cost which is concerned with the loss of self-respect in both the perpetrators, the victims as well as the family and the broader social community.
The purpose of this study was to describe the link between environmental violence and family well-being so as to develop effective intervention strategies for social work practice and community development.
This study was conducted within Zola Primary Health Care Clinic in Soweto.
A questionnaire was used as a method of gathering data that was required. The researcher used an exploratory descriptive design.
It was found in this study that environmental violence has an impact on family well-being. The results of the study indicated that there is a significant difference between the type of environmental violence that was experienced by the victim e.g. rape/sexual abuse especially whereby the perpetrator is a family member or relative. The results showed that family well-being was affected in a way that victims felt less power, less goal-inclined, less safe within their own families as well as within their own communities. The family well-being is also affected by several factors such as housing, marital status, age, education. For an example the results showed that victims of violence with a higher level of education felt more power, more goal-inclined and safer within their families and within their own communities.
Recommendations for social work practice and community development were drawn whereby the importance of knowing and understanding the needs of the victims were highlighted – before effective intervention can take place.
Dr. E. Oliphant