'n Gegronde studie oor seksuele molestering
- Authors: Botha, André Christiaan
- Date: 2008-10-31T09:06:32Z
- Subjects: Sexual abuse victims , Adult child sexual abuse victims , Abused women
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:13858 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/1418
- Description: D. Litt. et Phil. , This study aims to create a grounded model that can contribute to the knowledge about successfully coping with sexual molestation. Sexual molestation is a worldwide problem and is not unique to South Africa. In the past few decades, the problem of sexual molestation has emerged from the cloak of secrecy and has become an important theme in the social sciences and professions. Research on sexual molestation has mainly developed from a pathogenic perspective where the main function was to describe the nature and negative effects of sexual molestation, and to diagnose and treat sexual molestation as an illness. Recent research has however shown that not all sexually abused children develop psychopathology and therefore, a growing number of researchers have moved beyond psychopathology to a salutogenic perspective within the past two decades to explain why many people show signs of adaptation after traumatic experiences. The epistemological framework of this study is that of constructivism where the approaches of both modernism and post modernism are integrated. The dominating paradigm of the study is that of salutogenesis where the focus is on health and the successful adaptation of mankind. The grounded theory research methodology was used to develop a conceptual model about successfully coping with sexual molestation. This model can serve as a point of departure for future research and can contribute to the existing knowledge on resilience. Studying woman who have been sexually molested within a salutogenic paradigm, can have various implications for research and intervention strategies. Salutogenesis provides an optimistic alternative to the study of sexually molested woman and can help them to deal with the trauma in a more constructive way.
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A social constructionist exploration of the experience of abuse and multiple traumas in women who kill
- Authors: Seletswane, Gay Tsholofelo
- Date: 2009-04-30T09:23:03Z
- Subjects: Abused women , Psychic trauma , Women murderers , Women prisoners
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:8324 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/2451
- Description: D.Litt. et Phil. , The present study explores the experiences of abused women who kill their intimate male partners and are imprisoned as a result. It looks at the multiple traumas associated with the abuse, killing and imprisonment. Abuse of women violates their right of freedom and security, as well as the right to be free from torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. The experiences are explored within a prison context in which these women are serving hefty sentences as a means of punishment. This is a means of prosecuting perpetrators by the criminal justice system, thus sending out a message that violence is unacceptable. The prison context is metaphorically and physically associated with phenomenon such as isolation, control, labelling, punishment, reform and rehabilitation, among many others. Social Constructionism as a postmodern epistemology becomes relevant in this study in that the concern is in explicating the process by which people come to describe, explain, or otherwise account for the world (including themselves) in which they live. Therefore, the abused women’s experiences are descriptions to be understood through the analysis of the intersubjective influence of language, family, and culture. The implication being that social construction reflects on that which is said about the world, which is the product of shared conventions of discourse that are guided by and limited by the systems of language that we use. Our understandings of reality are embedded in our patterns of action, and these understandings constrain future constructions. Language as an important tool in social constructionism is embedded in the ideas, concepts and memories arising from social discourse and is found in neither the speaker nor the hearer, but somewhere in between. Furthermore, the context of prison afforded me with the opportunity to experience a sense of communality with the women, which according to a social constructionist stance suggests that reality is co-created between people in their quest for meaning from the interpreted experiences. There is no absolute truth that represents its objectivity, implying that as the researcher, I am not entering the system searching for some single truth that is ultimate. This acknowledges that there are realities and reflexivity of events and situations that look for many alternatives deconstructed and constructed equally between the researcher and participants. In conducting this study, a qualitative method of research was used, which focuses on the description, exploration and elaboration of experiences and perspectives of the people being interviewed. The qualitative method is not concerned with numbers and statistical analysis in the way that the quantitative method is. The participants take active charge in describing and exploring experiences that bring about meaning to them and the study. The researcher is equally involved as the participants, and becomes the participant observer. Whilst the focus was directed towards experiences of abuse and the multiple implications of trauma on abused women, the larger social context of their experiences was acknowledged. Five women offenders who are in the Potchefstroom prison, participated in this research. The women were allowed to elaborate on their experiences as experts in their own lives. Through this interaction a relational process of sharing and support emerges, which is characteristic of therapeutic practices with social constructionism. In-depth semi-structured interviews provided a means to explore their incidents of abuse as perpetrated by their intimate male partners. For the purpose of collecting data, an open-ended questionnaire was used. A thematic content method was used to analyse data. Here themes are identified that represent the meaning of events constructed by the participants themselves. A thematic analysis reflected the following themes: Loss and gain, power and helplessness, hope and despair as well as connection and disconnection. Upon the identification and analysis of themes, the discussion of findings which are integrated using the social constructionist theory, was conducted. From the findings the implications of multiple traumas abused women suffer at the hands of their intimate male partners, and the result of killing and imprisonment, are explored.
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Abused women and trauma
- Authors: Seletswane, Gay Tsholofelo
- Date: 2008-11-12T08:47:05Z
- Subjects: Abused women , Violence against women , Psychic trauma
- Type: Mini-Dissertation
- Identifier: uj:14663 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/1636
- Description: M.A. , This study is described within a social constructionist perspective, which explores the experiences of abuse on women by their intimate partners and the resultant trauma will be fully explored. The women are battered, raped, beaten, emotionally, verbally, and psychologically abused by their partners. To add on the partner abuse, the patriarchal, social-economic, political, cultural, historical, traditional, criminal and mental health systems also perpetuate the abuses. However, from the inhuman exposures there are prevailing traumatic effects that are destructive to the lives of women victims. They may lose their newly or unborn infants, abuse substances, attempt or complete suicide, suffer chronic medical problems and psychological disorders that are an enormous sense of loss to their esteem, confidence, pride, dignity, and identity (self).
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Abused women who kill their partners: a psychological study
- Authors: Botha, Shirley-Ann
- Date: 2008-10-31T09:06:45Z
- Subjects: Abused women , Crimes against women , Violence against women
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:13866 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/1419
- Description: D.Litt. et Phil. , Ewing (1997) states that battered women who kill intimate male partners have not been the subject of much systematic research. In fact, Wilbanks (in Adinkrah, 2000) laments the lack of a systematic description of the patterns and trends of homicide by women. Furthermore, as with most studies of crime, the majority of the emerging research on women and lethal crime has focused on the United States and Great Britain (Adinkrah, 2000). There has been relatively little research directed towards the study of female homicide in small, third world countries. Research on women and intimate partner homicide in developing countries is sorely needed if criminal justice professionals are to realise the quest to understand homicide more fully and to formulate a conceptually broad and cross culturally valid theory of female homicide (Adinkrah, 2000). Furthermore, violence against women is a devastating social problem which commonly occurs in developing societies where gender roles are strictly defined and enforced (Ogbuji, 2004). Domestic violence becomes even more of a social concern when it leads to intimate partner violence. Prior research conducted on homicide committed by women suggests that when a woman kills a male partner it is often in response to a pattern of physical abuse at the hands of their mates (Adinkrah, 2000). The purpose of this exploratory study was to add to the small but hopefully growing body of research on battered women incarcerated for killing a male intimate partner. The Department of Correctional Services indicates that there are currently 163 women imprisoned for killing a male intimate partner. Yet the psychological issues surrounding female murderers go largely unexplored (Dept. of Correctional Services, personal communication, September 6, 2002). The aims of the study were as follows: • To form a biographical profile of a typical woman who kills her male intimate partner in the context of an abusive relationship. • To form a personality profile of a typical literate woman who kills her male intimate partner in the context of an abusive relationship. • To form a literacy profile of the typical literate abused woman who kills an intimate male partner in the context of an abusive relationship. • To compare women who employ a third party to commit the murder with women who commit the murder themselves in order to identify any significant differences between the two groups on either a contextual or personality level. • To formulate possible guidelines for a rehabilitation program suited to this group of women. • Finally, to describe two participants’ unique narratives to informally highlight possible themes as well as add context and depth to the quantitative findings of the study.
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Exploring counsellor burnout and personal accomplishment in organisations that empower abused women
- Authors: Hatfield, Kelly
- Date: 2012-03-05
- Subjects: Counselors , Burn out (Psychology) , Adjustment (Psychology) , Violence , Abused women , Wife abuse , Rape
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:2141 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/4508
- Description: M.A. , Violence in South Africa has reached epidemic proportions. Violence against women is one area in which this social undercurrent continuously plays itself out. People Opposing Women Abuse (POWA) and Rape Crisis, Cape Town (RCCT) are two organizations that use lay counsellors to focus specifically on counselling women who have endured rape and domestic violence. Burnout is widely recognized as a consequence of this helping profession. This quantitative study comprised of 26 female counsellors from POWA and RCCT, who completed questionnaires that included demographic data, the Maslach Burnout Inventory to measure levels of burnout and personal accomplishment, and the COPE that measures different coping styles. The statistical analysis used was Pearson's correlation t-tests and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Results showed that this small sample group do not feel burned out, but rather have a sense of personal accomplishment. The counsellors listed eleven of the fourteen coping styles suggested as useful, and five of these appeared significantly so. Certain differences in coping techniques became apparent when analysed according to demographic data. Limitations of the study and recommendations for future research are also discussed.
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Facilitating the mental health of abused women subjected to domestic violence
- Authors: De Beer, Elmaleine
- Date: 2011-11-30
- Subjects: Abused women , Family violence , Victims of family violence
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:1747 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/4102
- Description: M.Cur. , The effect of domestic violence on abused women subjected to domestic violence, the family as a unit and the broader community is of such a nature that it inhibits emotional growth in the individual and the community. This may lead to a breakdown in the mental health status of those involved. Facilitation of the mental health of abused women subjected to domestic violence is needed. They experience a lot of negative emotional dynamics in the process of shattering of the self and shattering of other relations. They are entangled in the process of abuse. They are also under the wrong impression that they are victims and that they cannot do anything about it. This is confirmed by the researcher's previous research done on the lived experience of abused women subjected to domestic violence (De Beer, 2001 : 25 - 52). The psychiatric nursing specialist is a person placed and equipped in the community health services to provide the facilitation of the mental health of abused women subjected to domestic violence. Up till now psychiatric nursing specialists did not receive the necessary credit and were not utilised to benefit the community health services, hospitals and the individuals involved.
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Facilitating the mental health of women exposed to continuous intimate partner abuse in the Eastern Cape
- Authors: Mbadi, Irene Nocollege
- Date: 2011-06-30T06:10:08Z
- Subjects: Abused women , Self-esteem in women , Psychiatric nursing
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:7148 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/3752
- Description: D.Cur. , The overall objective of this research study was the development of a psychiatric nursing science model that will provide a theoretical framework to facilitate the mental health of women exposed to continuous intimate partner abuse. In this thesis continuous intimate partner abuse will also refer to an abusive relationship. Violence against women is a global pandemic that costs the health and lives of more women than malaria, traffic, accidents and war combined (Holm 2000:12). It is stated that around the world at least one woman in every three has been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in her lifetime. Most often the abuser is a member of her own family. There are a few support structures in place in the rural communities for these women. For many women who have been abused health workers are the main and often the only point of contact with public services which may be able to offer support and information. Yet victims of violence who seek care from health professionals often have needs that providers do not ask about and do not know how to address. A theory generative research design was applied during the conduct of this study. The research project was carried out in four steps of theory generation. Step one dealt with concept analysis which was divided into two sub-steps concept identification and concept definition. During the process of the subiv vii step of concept identification, a qualitative research strategy, which is explorative, descriptive and contextual was used to reveal the true experiences of women in abusive relationships. A purposive sample of 10 women in abusive relationships in the Eastern Cape meeting the selection criteria was utilised. In-depth semi-structured phenomenological interviews were used as a method of data collection.
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How men’s perspectives on intimate female partner abuse change after a rehabilitation programme
- Authors: Masoko, Rebeca Patricia
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Abused women , Intimate partner violence , Violence in men , Abusive men - Rehabilitation , Abusive men - Behavior modification
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/279130 , uj:29970
- Description: M.A. (Social Work) , Abstract: Despite the immense research studies conducted by various individuals and organisations, there is little attention given to the perpetrators of intimate partner violence. Generally the past studies concentrated on reasons for violence and the victim perspective. The literature available also tends to pay more attention to the victims. The purpose of the study was to explore if there was a change in men‘s perceptions about abusing their intimate female partners after attending a rehabilitation programme. Intimate partner violence remains a huge challenge in South Africa as is the case in many parts of the world. There has been an increase in reported cases of intimate partner violence including husbands/partners killing their wives or partners. In some cases, their ex- partners or husbands are killing women. The study was conducted at the NICRO offices in Soweto and was a qualitative-exploratory study. This was an in-depth study that was done to understand the intimate partner abuse from the participants‘ point of view. Eight participants were interviewed. The findings from the study were that men often do not perceive their behaviour towards their intimate partners as abusive, despite the attention and spotlight put on the violence, especially through media. The environment they grew up in played a crucial role in molding them for the future. The perpetrator rehabilitation programme is one of the interventions available to help reduce or eliminate intimate partner abuse. Overall, the rehabilitation programme was attested to be a success. The participants acknowledged that the programme empowered them to have a different perspective of intimate partner violence and generally a different outlook on how they viewed relationships. As part of a prevention strategy, boy children should from an early age be taught to treat human beings in general and women more specifically, with dignity and respect.
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The role of abuse in the development of irritable bowel syndrome: a comparative study
- Authors: Rossouw, G. Eileen
- Date: 2008-11-12T07:04:15Z
- Subjects: Irritable colon research , Abused women , Abused children
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:14652 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/1616
- Description: M.A. , Irritable Bowel Syndrome is defined as a chronic relapsing functional bowel disorder of unknown causes (Weber & McCallum, 1992). IBS is characterized by attacks of abdominal pain and change of bowel habit resulting in diarrhoea, constipation or both, where no structural alteration of the colon is found (Varis, 1987). The symptoms appear to result from a dysfunction of the intestine and are therefore said to be “functional” (Heaton & Thompson, 1999). The prevalence of IBS in the general population of Western countries is 14-24% of women. It is the most common cause of gut symptoms, and the most common reason that people go to their family doctor with a gut complaint. Despite all of this, physicians are still groping to understand the pathogenesis of IBS. The secret of success with IBS is to recognize it quickly and confidently. This is done primarily from the history, as there are no clinical tests that may be done to diagnose IBS. Once the diagnosis has been made it is of utmost importance that the sufferer is told, the syndrome is explained, and a good relationship is established with the health-care giver. Thereafter it becomes important to search for unspoken agendas in the life of the sufferer. According to the literature, stress can exacerbate IBS, and sexual, physical and emotional abuse can pose complex problems that require the assistance of a skilled counsellor. These problems, if left, may lead to the intensified symptoms of IBS. Society is becoming increasingly abusive and women and children often bear the brunt of physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Studies in America of women who present at medical facilities as well as those sampled from the community have found abuse rates that range from 20-76%. There is no reason to believe that these figures would be that different for South Africa. These studies have also found that abused women report a significantly higher number of medical problems and health-care system usage. A number of researchers have also found that there was a significant association between IBS and sexual abuse and physical abuse in childhood and adulthood. For the counselling psychologist the challenge is to unravel the mechanisms behind the symptoms, and to provide a rationale for therapy. The role that abuse may play in the development of IBS forms the cornerstone of the present study.
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