Overcoming the effects of physical and emotional abuse through personal leadership development
- Authors: Abrahams, Tanya
- Date: 2012-11-18
- Subjects: Abused women - Rehabilitation , Abused women - Counseling of , Resilience (Personality trait) , Women abuse , Interpersonal conflict
- Type: Mini-Dissertation
- Identifier: uj:7401 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/8211
- Description: M.Phil. , The aim of this study was to explore how women overcome the effects of physical and emotional abuse through personal leadership. The research has been conceptualised by the researcher‟s knowledge of the Personal, Interpersonal and Professional (PiPL) Leadership framework. The researcher researched how women overcome the effects of physical and emotional abuse from a personal perspective, as well as using individual experiences to explore how women cope with these challenges. The study was motivated by the researcher‟s experience of abuse. A decision was made to subject her own as well as another woman‟s experiences to scholarly study. This process served as a catalyst in dealing with a few unresolved challenges in her life. The study concludes that overcoming the effects of physical and emotional abuse is a burdensome journey that constantly needs work and that one can never claim to have truly mastered. From the core research problem the research question was formulated as follows: How do women overcome the physical and emotional affects of abuse through personal leadership? From the above research question, the following two aims of the study were formulised: To explore, describe and reach an understanding of how two women have coped with the effects of physical and emotional abuse through personal leadership development. To add to existing knowledge by applying the PiPL framework and other theoretical concepts to the two women‟s authentic experiences. The study follows autoethnography as a research approach. Anderson (2006) suggests the term analytic autoethnography involving research in which the vi researcher is: (i) A full member in the research setting; (ii) Visible in such texts; (iii) Committed to develop theoretical understanding of broader social phenomena; (iv) Analytic reflexivity; and (iv) Dialogue with informants beyond the self. Anderson (2006) believes that insights gained from the lived experiences of the researcher must be applied analytically, in other words, it should contribute to some way to existing theory. This study adheres to Anderson‟s commitment to an analytic agenda. Ontologically, the study‟s position is that of constructivism. Furthermore, the epistemological stance in the study can be summarised as follows: knowledge about women overcoming the effects of abuse is generated by revealing the meaning such women attach to their experiences and the researcher‟s interpretation of it is not definitive. This statement makes claim to both interpretivism and constructivism. This study shares the journey towards recovery, connection and choices. It concerns the researcher; a woman, wife and mother, who was negatively impacted by abuse. It is validated by a significant other who shares this experience with the researcher. Lastly, it includes another woman‟s lived experiences of abuse. It is a story towards finding closure, healing and meaning. Keywords: Women abuse, resilience, overcoming the effects of physical and emotional abuse, leadership, analytical autoethnography, Smith‟s (2009) Quality of Leadership, Personal, Interpersonal and Professional Leadership (PiPL), qualitative research.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Abrahams, Tanya
- Date: 2012-11-18
- Subjects: Abused women - Rehabilitation , Abused women - Counseling of , Resilience (Personality trait) , Women abuse , Interpersonal conflict
- Type: Mini-Dissertation
- Identifier: uj:7401 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/8211
- Description: M.Phil. , The aim of this study was to explore how women overcome the effects of physical and emotional abuse through personal leadership. The research has been conceptualised by the researcher‟s knowledge of the Personal, Interpersonal and Professional (PiPL) Leadership framework. The researcher researched how women overcome the effects of physical and emotional abuse from a personal perspective, as well as using individual experiences to explore how women cope with these challenges. The study was motivated by the researcher‟s experience of abuse. A decision was made to subject her own as well as another woman‟s experiences to scholarly study. This process served as a catalyst in dealing with a few unresolved challenges in her life. The study concludes that overcoming the effects of physical and emotional abuse is a burdensome journey that constantly needs work and that one can never claim to have truly mastered. From the core research problem the research question was formulated as follows: How do women overcome the physical and emotional affects of abuse through personal leadership? From the above research question, the following two aims of the study were formulised: To explore, describe and reach an understanding of how two women have coped with the effects of physical and emotional abuse through personal leadership development. To add to existing knowledge by applying the PiPL framework and other theoretical concepts to the two women‟s authentic experiences. The study follows autoethnography as a research approach. Anderson (2006) suggests the term analytic autoethnography involving research in which the vi researcher is: (i) A full member in the research setting; (ii) Visible in such texts; (iii) Committed to develop theoretical understanding of broader social phenomena; (iv) Analytic reflexivity; and (iv) Dialogue with informants beyond the self. Anderson (2006) believes that insights gained from the lived experiences of the researcher must be applied analytically, in other words, it should contribute to some way to existing theory. This study adheres to Anderson‟s commitment to an analytic agenda. Ontologically, the study‟s position is that of constructivism. Furthermore, the epistemological stance in the study can be summarised as follows: knowledge about women overcoming the effects of abuse is generated by revealing the meaning such women attach to their experiences and the researcher‟s interpretation of it is not definitive. This statement makes claim to both interpretivism and constructivism. This study shares the journey towards recovery, connection and choices. It concerns the researcher; a woman, wife and mother, who was negatively impacted by abuse. It is validated by a significant other who shares this experience with the researcher. Lastly, it includes another woman‟s lived experiences of abuse. It is a story towards finding closure, healing and meaning. Keywords: Women abuse, resilience, overcoming the effects of physical and emotional abuse, leadership, analytical autoethnography, Smith‟s (2009) Quality of Leadership, Personal, Interpersonal and Professional Leadership (PiPL), qualitative research.
- Full Text:
Coloured women leaving abusive spousal relationships: a phenomenological study
- Authors: Mohamed, Feroza Hamida
- Date: 2008-08-25T06:27:46Z
- Subjects: Women abuse , Abused wives , Coloured people (South Africa) , Social life and customs of coloured people
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:3686 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/906
- Description: Spousal abuse is a global phenomenon that occurs in many cultures and affects most of the world’s population of women. Over the past 30 years, spousal abuse has become increasingly recognized as a problem, and women in many countries have organized to advocate for change. The issue of wife abuse has been taken up by the public as an issue of general concern more than once since the latter part of the nineteenth century. It came into the limelight again in the early 1970’s in the United States, its progress towards public awareness corresponding with the growth of the women’s movement. In broad terms, the women’s movement may be divided into two major feminist perspectives. First wave feminism is principally concerned with equalities between the genders whereas second wave feminism uses women’s differences to oppose the ‘legalities’ of a patriarchal world. The phenomenon of women being abused in intimate relationships has been referred to as “the problem that had no name.” Indeed, one of the most important contributions of second wave feminism was the labels it provided to previously unnamed, largely unspoken, taboo problems that women confronted. Without a label to refer to a phenomenon, that phenomenon is extremely difficult to describe, to discuss, to count, and analyse. In South Africa concern about wife abuse, started in the early 1980’s. Inspired by the action of overseas movements, South African feminists began to mobilize around violence against women. In the South African context, violence against women must be viewed against the socio-political background of apartheid, race, class, and gender relations. In an historic context of overwhelming oppression and state-sanctioned violence, a culture of violence developed. Over time this situation is accepted as a norm and becomes a primary means of conflict resolution- including between domestic partners. Accurate statistics on the problem of spousal abuse in South Africa are unavailable since national prevalence studies have not been conducted. Difficulties in obtaining prevalence to date have been exacerbated by fragmentation created by the former apartheid bureaucracy; the lack of resources to confront the problem of spousal abuse; and the fact that the problem is often unrecognized and under reported. However, preliminary findings from available research indicate that spousal abuse in South Africa is a serious and extensive problem. The abuse reported in these studies ranged from verbal insults, threats, physical injury and even death. Numerous studies found that spousal abuse is seen as a private matter, so that the abused woman does not have the support of friends, family or the authority to help her stop the abuse or to leave the relationship. Spousal abuse is sequential, developmental and dynamic. The situation of the abused woman is unlike many other crisis in that it is transcrisis; that is, it is cyclical, reaching many peak levels over extended periods of time. For a variety of reasons it is rare for women to leave an abusive spousal relationship for good after the first abusive incident. Continued and increased abuse over a period of years is the typical pattern of abusive spousal relationships. Research has indicated that abusive spousal relationships typically include a life-threatening history of injuries and psychosocial problems that entrap the women in the relationships. Limited research has been undertaken on the experience of women who do manage to leave abusive spousal relationships despite the debilitating physical and emotional sequelae of the abuse and a lack of family and societal support. This investigation aims to address and explore the experience “Coloured” women who managed to leave abusive spousal relationships. As the literature review will indicate, the social-cultural context of “Coloured” is one that not only makes them susceptible to experiencing spousal abuse but it also predisposes them to remain in these relationships. The investigation seeks those themes, emotions and thoughts which are central and significant in the women’s experience. It explores the manner in which leaving comes about and is incorporated into the women’s sense of self and understanding of the world. Essentially, the research aims to provide some understanding of what the experience of leaving an abusive relationship entails and the personal meaning it holds for the women. In order to ensure that the women's own subjective experiences, and their own interpretations and understanding of those experiences will be the focal point, as opposed to that of the researcher, the existential-phenomenological system of inquiry is employed. The existential-phenomenological approach is not only utilized as a specific research methodology but is also adopted as an overall attitude towards doing research. The participants in the study are viewed as beings-in-the-world, thereby acknowledging that the experience of leaving occurs in a context in which the participants act on and are simultaneously acted upon by their lived-worlds. Qualitative access to the subjective realm of the women is attempted through a qualitative design through which rich data is collected through in-depth, open-ended interviews which facilitates unique and personal descriptions. A pilot interview with a woman who left an abusive spousal relationship indicated that the research question (How did you experience leaving the abusive relationship?) together with broad open-ended questions, facilitated the attainment of rich, vital, substantive descriptions of the experience of leaving. Three “Coloured” women, who left their abusive spousal relationships at least two years ago, were then sourced from previously “Coloured” designated communities and interviewed for the purpose of this study. The qualification in terms of time is important since this study is interested in the experience of women who left their abusive relationships permanently and research has shown that many women leave abusive spousal relationships only to return after some time. , Dr. I. Van der Merwe Prof. W. Schoeman
- Full Text:
- Authors: Mohamed, Feroza Hamida
- Date: 2008-08-25T06:27:46Z
- Subjects: Women abuse , Abused wives , Coloured people (South Africa) , Social life and customs of coloured people
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:3686 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/906
- Description: Spousal abuse is a global phenomenon that occurs in many cultures and affects most of the world’s population of women. Over the past 30 years, spousal abuse has become increasingly recognized as a problem, and women in many countries have organized to advocate for change. The issue of wife abuse has been taken up by the public as an issue of general concern more than once since the latter part of the nineteenth century. It came into the limelight again in the early 1970’s in the United States, its progress towards public awareness corresponding with the growth of the women’s movement. In broad terms, the women’s movement may be divided into two major feminist perspectives. First wave feminism is principally concerned with equalities between the genders whereas second wave feminism uses women’s differences to oppose the ‘legalities’ of a patriarchal world. The phenomenon of women being abused in intimate relationships has been referred to as “the problem that had no name.” Indeed, one of the most important contributions of second wave feminism was the labels it provided to previously unnamed, largely unspoken, taboo problems that women confronted. Without a label to refer to a phenomenon, that phenomenon is extremely difficult to describe, to discuss, to count, and analyse. In South Africa concern about wife abuse, started in the early 1980’s. Inspired by the action of overseas movements, South African feminists began to mobilize around violence against women. In the South African context, violence against women must be viewed against the socio-political background of apartheid, race, class, and gender relations. In an historic context of overwhelming oppression and state-sanctioned violence, a culture of violence developed. Over time this situation is accepted as a norm and becomes a primary means of conflict resolution- including between domestic partners. Accurate statistics on the problem of spousal abuse in South Africa are unavailable since national prevalence studies have not been conducted. Difficulties in obtaining prevalence to date have been exacerbated by fragmentation created by the former apartheid bureaucracy; the lack of resources to confront the problem of spousal abuse; and the fact that the problem is often unrecognized and under reported. However, preliminary findings from available research indicate that spousal abuse in South Africa is a serious and extensive problem. The abuse reported in these studies ranged from verbal insults, threats, physical injury and even death. Numerous studies found that spousal abuse is seen as a private matter, so that the abused woman does not have the support of friends, family or the authority to help her stop the abuse or to leave the relationship. Spousal abuse is sequential, developmental and dynamic. The situation of the abused woman is unlike many other crisis in that it is transcrisis; that is, it is cyclical, reaching many peak levels over extended periods of time. For a variety of reasons it is rare for women to leave an abusive spousal relationship for good after the first abusive incident. Continued and increased abuse over a period of years is the typical pattern of abusive spousal relationships. Research has indicated that abusive spousal relationships typically include a life-threatening history of injuries and psychosocial problems that entrap the women in the relationships. Limited research has been undertaken on the experience of women who do manage to leave abusive spousal relationships despite the debilitating physical and emotional sequelae of the abuse and a lack of family and societal support. This investigation aims to address and explore the experience “Coloured” women who managed to leave abusive spousal relationships. As the literature review will indicate, the social-cultural context of “Coloured” is one that not only makes them susceptible to experiencing spousal abuse but it also predisposes them to remain in these relationships. The investigation seeks those themes, emotions and thoughts which are central and significant in the women’s experience. It explores the manner in which leaving comes about and is incorporated into the women’s sense of self and understanding of the world. Essentially, the research aims to provide some understanding of what the experience of leaving an abusive relationship entails and the personal meaning it holds for the women. In order to ensure that the women's own subjective experiences, and their own interpretations and understanding of those experiences will be the focal point, as opposed to that of the researcher, the existential-phenomenological system of inquiry is employed. The existential-phenomenological approach is not only utilized as a specific research methodology but is also adopted as an overall attitude towards doing research. The participants in the study are viewed as beings-in-the-world, thereby acknowledging that the experience of leaving occurs in a context in which the participants act on and are simultaneously acted upon by their lived-worlds. Qualitative access to the subjective realm of the women is attempted through a qualitative design through which rich data is collected through in-depth, open-ended interviews which facilitates unique and personal descriptions. A pilot interview with a woman who left an abusive spousal relationship indicated that the research question (How did you experience leaving the abusive relationship?) together with broad open-ended questions, facilitated the attainment of rich, vital, substantive descriptions of the experience of leaving. Three “Coloured” women, who left their abusive spousal relationships at least two years ago, were then sourced from previously “Coloured” designated communities and interviewed for the purpose of this study. The qualification in terms of time is important since this study is interested in the experience of women who left their abusive relationships permanently and research has shown that many women leave abusive spousal relationships only to return after some time. , Dr. I. Van der Merwe Prof. W. Schoeman
- Full Text:
The influence of social constructions of family on abused women's help-seeking after domestic violence
- Authors: Rasool, Shahana
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Women abuse , Help-seeking , Marriage , Family , Socio-cultural norms
- Language: English
- Type: Journal article
- Identifier: http://ujcontent.uj.ac.za8080/10210/385874 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/17609 , uj:15904 , Citation: Rasool, S. 2015. The influence of social constructions of family on abused women's help-seeking after domestic violence. South African Review of Sociology, 46(4):24-38, DOI: 10.1080/21528586.2015.1100098
- Description: Abstract: Ideas about maintaining the ‘solidarity of the family’, in contrast to women’s interests, is starkly evident in domestic violence situations, where notions of maintaining the family have been intrinsic to women’s decisions to remain in abusive relationships. Through the narratives of 17 abused women this article will show how socio-cultural discourses that promote the maintenance of the family above women’s safety, by normalising abuse in marriage and expecting women to self-sacrifice, contributes to women’s reluctance to leave abusive relationships. Further notions of ‘forever after’ marraiges and making it work at all costs also contributed to limited help seeking in the interests of maintenaning the social institution of mariage. Informal networks insistence that women should endure abusive relationships, contribute to abused women feeling an overriding commitment to maintaining the family. As a result of these discourses and a lack of support from informal networks, women are reluctant to disclose abuse to professionals, because seeking help for abuse implies that they are challenging socio-cultural norms that are entrenched at the level of the family and community. These findings emerged from an analysis of in-depth abuse history interviews conducted with women living in Johannesburg and Cape Town shelters. Abuse history interviews are similar to life histories but the interviews only focused on the periods and aspect of women’s lives when they experienced abuse. The aim of the study is to understand the personal, socio-cultural, structural and institutional factors that influenced help-seeking. This article will largely focus on the socio-cultural discourses that normalise domestic violence in order to preserve families. It is argued that socio-cultural norms which serve to perpetuate domestic violence in the name of families at the expense of women’s rights and safety, need to be challenged and the true impact of domestic violence on social life needs to be highlighted.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Rasool, Shahana
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Women abuse , Help-seeking , Marriage , Family , Socio-cultural norms
- Language: English
- Type: Journal article
- Identifier: http://ujcontent.uj.ac.za8080/10210/385874 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/17609 , uj:15904 , Citation: Rasool, S. 2015. The influence of social constructions of family on abused women's help-seeking after domestic violence. South African Review of Sociology, 46(4):24-38, DOI: 10.1080/21528586.2015.1100098
- Description: Abstract: Ideas about maintaining the ‘solidarity of the family’, in contrast to women’s interests, is starkly evident in domestic violence situations, where notions of maintaining the family have been intrinsic to women’s decisions to remain in abusive relationships. Through the narratives of 17 abused women this article will show how socio-cultural discourses that promote the maintenance of the family above women’s safety, by normalising abuse in marriage and expecting women to self-sacrifice, contributes to women’s reluctance to leave abusive relationships. Further notions of ‘forever after’ marraiges and making it work at all costs also contributed to limited help seeking in the interests of maintenaning the social institution of mariage. Informal networks insistence that women should endure abusive relationships, contribute to abused women feeling an overriding commitment to maintaining the family. As a result of these discourses and a lack of support from informal networks, women are reluctant to disclose abuse to professionals, because seeking help for abuse implies that they are challenging socio-cultural norms that are entrenched at the level of the family and community. These findings emerged from an analysis of in-depth abuse history interviews conducted with women living in Johannesburg and Cape Town shelters. Abuse history interviews are similar to life histories but the interviews only focused on the periods and aspect of women’s lives when they experienced abuse. The aim of the study is to understand the personal, socio-cultural, structural and institutional factors that influenced help-seeking. This article will largely focus on the socio-cultural discourses that normalise domestic violence in order to preserve families. It is argued that socio-cultural norms which serve to perpetuate domestic violence in the name of families at the expense of women’s rights and safety, need to be challenged and the true impact of domestic violence on social life needs to be highlighted.
- Full Text:
A salutogenic perspective on adult female survivors of childhood incest
- Authors: Sher, Loren
- Date: 2008-11-12T08:49:18Z
- Subjects: Incest research , Adult child sexual abuse victims , Incest victims , Women abuse
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:14670 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/1642
- Description: M.A. , Incest can be defined as, “The involvement of dependant children or adolescents in sexual activities they do not truly comprehend, to which they are unable to give informed consent, or that violate the social taboos of family roles” (Kempe & Kempe, 1978, p.60). Incest may include a multitude of activities, such as fondling, masturbation, exposing genitalia, exposure to pornographic material, as well as intercourse (Gilmartin, 1994). In our sexist patriarchal society, sexual abuse of children and women has been, and still is, a dark secret (Bradshaw, 1995). A study done by Collings (1997) at the University of Natal revealed that over 50% of all second year st udents had reported some incidence of sexual abuse during their childhood and/or adolescent years. Statistics from the South African Police Force indicate an increase in the number of incest cases from 7559 in 1994 to 10037 in 1995 (Tucker, 2000). Lyell (1997) emphasised that the magnitude of the problem of sexual abuse is far greater than any professionals working in this field ever imagined. Over the past 24 years many studies have been published on the psychological impact of incest (Ensink, 1992). These effects include the disruption of normal development (Doyle, 1997), emotional problems (Newman & Peterson, 1996), social problems (Newman Lubell & Peterson, 1998) and physical problems (Tucker, 2000), to name a few. The abovementioned statistics show that incest is of concern in the South African context. It is also of international relevance because as Boyles, De Noon and Key (1999) have noted sexual abuse is a worldwide problem. The purpose of this study is to investigate the way adult female survivor s of childhood incest cope. The epistemological framework of this study is that of the Modernistic approach. Quantitative methods of research were therefore used to collect and analyse the data. The survivors’ ways of coping were assessed through response s t o the “Ways of Coping” Questionnaire given by a multi-e t h n i c sample containing mainly white women. Relevant biographical details were obtained with the use of a constructed biographical questionnaire. The differences regarding the different ways of coping, as related to specific factors, such as duration of therapy, duration of abuse and so forth, were discussed. Possible implications of the results have also been mentioned in this thesis. The information obtained provides a new perspective on incest, that of salutogenesis. Previous research has focused on the adverse effects that occur because of incest. There has not been a focus on the strengths of incest survivors, or the reason why some survivors cope better than others. It was found that incest sur vivors develop constructive coping skills, such as positive reappraisal, seeking social support and planful problem solving, after a minimal time period of one year in therapy. It was also found that the duration of abuse affects the way an adult survivor copes with the incest. Particular ways of coping are correlated with others, for example planful problem solving is correlated with positive reappraisal. The information which has emerged from this study may be useful for therapists working with incest sur vivors. Having a broader understanding of survivors’ ways of coping and some of the factors influencing these, may allow therapists to direct and teach ways of coping, and more specifically to facilitate and encourage more constructive ways of coping.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Sher, Loren
- Date: 2008-11-12T08:49:18Z
- Subjects: Incest research , Adult child sexual abuse victims , Incest victims , Women abuse
- Type: Thesis
- Identifier: uj:14670 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/1642
- Description: M.A. , Incest can be defined as, “The involvement of dependant children or adolescents in sexual activities they do not truly comprehend, to which they are unable to give informed consent, or that violate the social taboos of family roles” (Kempe & Kempe, 1978, p.60). Incest may include a multitude of activities, such as fondling, masturbation, exposing genitalia, exposure to pornographic material, as well as intercourse (Gilmartin, 1994). In our sexist patriarchal society, sexual abuse of children and women has been, and still is, a dark secret (Bradshaw, 1995). A study done by Collings (1997) at the University of Natal revealed that over 50% of all second year st udents had reported some incidence of sexual abuse during their childhood and/or adolescent years. Statistics from the South African Police Force indicate an increase in the number of incest cases from 7559 in 1994 to 10037 in 1995 (Tucker, 2000). Lyell (1997) emphasised that the magnitude of the problem of sexual abuse is far greater than any professionals working in this field ever imagined. Over the past 24 years many studies have been published on the psychological impact of incest (Ensink, 1992). These effects include the disruption of normal development (Doyle, 1997), emotional problems (Newman & Peterson, 1996), social problems (Newman Lubell & Peterson, 1998) and physical problems (Tucker, 2000), to name a few. The abovementioned statistics show that incest is of concern in the South African context. It is also of international relevance because as Boyles, De Noon and Key (1999) have noted sexual abuse is a worldwide problem. The purpose of this study is to investigate the way adult female survivor s of childhood incest cope. The epistemological framework of this study is that of the Modernistic approach. Quantitative methods of research were therefore used to collect and analyse the data. The survivors’ ways of coping were assessed through response s t o the “Ways of Coping” Questionnaire given by a multi-e t h n i c sample containing mainly white women. Relevant biographical details were obtained with the use of a constructed biographical questionnaire. The differences regarding the different ways of coping, as related to specific factors, such as duration of therapy, duration of abuse and so forth, were discussed. Possible implications of the results have also been mentioned in this thesis. The information obtained provides a new perspective on incest, that of salutogenesis. Previous research has focused on the adverse effects that occur because of incest. There has not been a focus on the strengths of incest survivors, or the reason why some survivors cope better than others. It was found that incest sur vivors develop constructive coping skills, such as positive reappraisal, seeking social support and planful problem solving, after a minimal time period of one year in therapy. It was also found that the duration of abuse affects the way an adult survivor copes with the incest. Particular ways of coping are correlated with others, for example planful problem solving is correlated with positive reappraisal. The information which has emerged from this study may be useful for therapists working with incest sur vivors. Having a broader understanding of survivors’ ways of coping and some of the factors influencing these, may allow therapists to direct and teach ways of coping, and more specifically to facilitate and encourage more constructive ways of coping.
- Full Text:
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