Thesis (M. A. ( Social Work)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / Studies have shown that women abuse in marriages is prevalent. Globally, one in three (1:3) or 35% of women have experienced physical and or sexual violence by an intimate partner who in some instances, could have been a marital partner or spouse. Reports from Statistics South Africa show that one in every four of all women in South Africa is assaulted by their partners weekly. This study sought to describe reasons why women continue to stay in abusive marriages. The study was qualitative in nature and used a case study design. The sampling of the study was purposive and involved sixteen (16) participants who met the criteria of the study: women who continued to stay in abusive marriages. The study was conducted at Khuseleka One-stop Centre and Victim Empowerment Programme in Mankweng, Capricorn District in Limpopo Province. Data was collected using a semi-structured interview guide, and was analysed using Thematic Content Analysis (TCA) to gain in depth account from participants of their abuse in marriage. This study employed the Womanism theory to discuss findings. The major finding of this study was that many abused women who stay on in their marriage are economically dependent on their husbands. The study further reveals that children are main contributing factors that hinder these women from leaving abusive partners. The study further reveals that cultural beliefs play a crucial role since these women were socialised and brought up with cultural beliefs that “lebitla la mosadi ke bogadi”, which simply means that a woman’s grave is at the home of her husband. The study recommends educational programmes about GBV and related programmes for both genders.

This study explored the multiple contexts of violence in the lives of female adolescents exposed to domestic violence. The research was guided by ecological, critical and postmodern feminist perspectives. Ecological theory embeds individual and familial experiences within the broader social and historical contexts. Critical theory questions often held assumptions and issues of power. Postmodern feminism extended this theoretical lens into a socio-political context that used gender, race, class, and marginalization as central lenses. This perspective emphasized the importance of context, processes, and the subjective experiences of girls. Qualitative methods and a constructivist epistemology were used to understand the experiences of six female adolescents, between 14 and 19 whose mothers had experienced domestic violence. I explored how participants reflected on and made sense of their exposure to violence in their families, the multiple contexts of violence to which they were exposed, and the protective factors they had or employed. Four interviews were conducted with each participant, totaling 24 interviews. Poetry was used to gain trust and begin the process of sharing intrapersonal feelings, to externalize thoughts and expressions, and share lived experiences. Two mothers completed lengthy questionnaires. Participants were recruited through an insider's knowledge of multiple agencies, and using snowballing. No participants ever resided in a domestic violence shelter. This study contributed to our understanding of the lives of adolescent females exposed to domestic violence by elucidating the complexity of the experiences of participants and their families. It reminded us of the contextual importance of describing violence and the ever-changing experience of children exposed to domestic violence. Children learned to cope in multiple ways, but felt alone and powerless. Systems developed to assist youth and families were unable to intervene in a meaningful way, thus extending the feelings of abandonment and powerlessness. Children learned to hide from their feelings and put on a mask to the world. This mask hid the child safely beneath, and ultimately served to distance her from the realities in her midst. But, at what expense? I discuss findings in terms of current resilience theory and provide suggestions for future research and intervention based on these findings. / Ph. D.

Few studies exist which systematically address the topic of attempted adolescent parricide, particularly within a family violence context. This study, through qualitative research techniques: (a) determined the incidence of attempted adolescent parricide; (b) examined variables associated with the phenomenon; (c) derived a behavioral portrait of adolescents who attempt parricide through TFA Systems (tm); and (d) compared actual and attempted parricide. Select case studies from the research literature served as the actual parricide group for comparative purposes. This descriptive study identified counselors in Virginia and West Virginia who had worked with parricidal clients within the preceding 2 years. Through questionnaire completion and personal interviews with respondents, counselors provided substantive information on youth who attempted parricide, including: (a) detailed demographic data; (b) youth and family social history variables; (c) circumstances surrounding the act; (d) counseling involvement; and (e) a TFA behavioral portrait. Although precise figures are lacking, it was found that adolescent parricide comprises approximately 2% of all yearly murders, and that for each successful parricide, there is at least one additional attempt where the parent does not die. Youths who attempt and those who commit parricide are close cousins who share many commonalities, including: an abusive home environment; youth and parental alcohol or drug use or abuse; a runaway history; problem behaviors; and school difficulties. The fact that the victim survives in attempted parricide is explained more by fortuity and weapons choice than by differing motive. A TFA profile analysis revealed that, at the time of the killing, youths who committed parricide fell into the Acting-Feeling or Acting-Thinking behavioral patterns. Youths who attempted the act shared the Acting-Feeling and Acting-Thinking patterns, but also evidenced a Feeling-Acting pattern. A stronger affective component appeared to be evidenced by attempters, when compared with actuals. Actual and attempted parricide offenders were found to share many variables with other high-risk or at-risk youths. Future research may wish to focus on some of these common variables. Recommendations for further study of attempted adolescent parricide were presented. / Ph. D.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Air Force Family Advocacy Program and examine the effects that situational dynamics have on recidivism. Although, the high volume of program participants and low recidivism rate demonstrated that the Family Advocacy Program is a valuable resource for treating families referred for spousal domestic violence.

Nigerian immigrants have been largely excluded from studies on issues relating to immigrants living in American society. This study examines the perception of domestic violence among Nigerians and their help seeking counseling for behavior problems.

Thesis (M.A. (Clinical Psychology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / Gender-based violence (GBV) has become a global epidemic and it affects those who are most vulnerable in society, predominantly women and children. Several causal factors have been identified, which include gender norms, socioeconomic inequalities, and South Africa’s violent history. There are many organisations (governmental and non-governmental) that are committed to reducing GBV. However, even with many interventions in place, the prevalence of GBV in South Africa keeps on rising. A qualitative approach was adopted to explore the perceptions of 3rd year psychology students at the University of Limpopo regarding the inclusion of men in GBV prevention campaigns. The study used two theoretical frameworks, namely, Social Learning Theory and Feminist Theory. Purposive sampling was used to draw a sample of 16 students (10 females, and 6 males), and the data was analysed using a Thematic Analysis (TA) approach. Three major themes and five subthemes emerged from the analysis, which was supported by existing findings. The themes were identified as GBV prevention campaigns, GBV and government interventions, and GBV knowledge and perceptions. The results of the study found that students had an adequate understanding of GBV prevention campaigns. Their understanding informed their perceptions, which leaned towards supporting the inclusion of men in GBV prevention campaigns. Their perceptions were geared towards a multi-gender approach aimed at increasing awareness, protecting the rights of GBV victims and demanding justice for them. Furthermore, a multi-gender approach was seen as a silver bullet to championing the fight against GBV and stressing the impact that the inclusion of men will have in lowering GBV cases. The current GBV prevention campaigns (both at government and non-governmental levels) were seen as not effective enough in the eradication of GBV. Therefore, a call for a multi-gender approach to GBV prevention campaigns at all societal levels was emphasised. Community-based initiatives (i.e., social organisations) in GBV prevention campaigns were also seen as crucial in the eradication of GBV. / HWSETA ( Health and welfare Sector for Education and Training Authority)

Thesis (M.Ed. (Voorligting))--Universiteit van Suid-Afrika, 2002.

Despite the growing recognition of the prevalence of domestic violence worldwide, there is an increasing number of women reporting abuse, and there are those who have died at the hands of their abusers. Many of these domestic violence situations involve children who grow up carrying the physical and/or emotional scars of abuse into adulthood, which also has negative implications for their social well-being. This study adopts a qualitative approach to analysing emerging themes relating to the experiences of eight adult participants (four men and four women) who have lived in domestically violent homes during their childhood. The study deals with definitions of abuse, the social, physical, emotional, cognitive, behavioural and psychological effects of abuse and identifies the social consequences of growing up in a violent home. With reference to the research interviews, it is the researcher’s finding that if there is violence in the home, children’s socialisation will be impaired. The results of the study support the hypothesis that the socialisation of adults and their ability to form healthy relationships are hindered by being exposed to domestic violence during childhood. In terms of the goals of intervention, the basic principle is that children need to be provided with a safe environment, appropriate discipline and a secure relationship with an attentive caregiver. The ultimate goal of intervention is to prevent further harm and promote recovery. Socio-educational goals include being taught to communicate and settle differences without the use of violence, to promote the development of well-adjusted social beings. / Educational Foundations / M. Ed. (Socio-Education)

Women as a group hold little power in the social system which increases women's vulnerability to domestic violence. According to Merton (1970), social problems may be revealed through the disaster recovery process. A coraHunity1s organizational response to social problems such as wife abuse depends upon organizational members' perceptions. The data suggest that organizational perceptions of domestic violence largely depend upon the setting or environment in which an organization exists and operates. A second factor that greatly determines an organization's perception of domestic violence after disaster is organizational type. Organizations which provide services to domestic violence victims pre-disaster are more likely to perceive domestic violence following disaster than organizations which do not provide domestic violence related services prior to disaster.

My journey in writing this dissertation has been both intellectually and emotionally challenging keeping in mind firstly that I am a male scholar (an “outsider”) responding to issues related to maleness, the abuse and oppression of women. Secondly, that I have a personal “sacred story” of the effects of abuse and violence in the home where I grew up; and thirdly, that am strongly a conservative evangelical by faith. However, these three aspects interplay in contributing to my motivation of seeking for a mended world especially for professing Christian women within the evangelical context. The focus of this study is: Examining the social, religious and cultural discourses on “maleness” and its possible influence on domestic violence in South Africa: A critique of some expressions of evangelical theology. The study argues that the predominant social, religious and cultural discourses portray some expressions of evangelical theology. It maintains that our distorted perceptions of God (how we have imagined God as “male”)—hence maleness, has influenced male paradigm of domination among partners. As a result, this has possibly influenced and contributed to domestic violence (DV), abuse and oppression of women within some evangelical context in South Africa. Hence, the prevalence of abuse and oppression of women in the evangelical context, the battle for the humanity and dignity of women as human beings created in God’s image and that female and male are equal in God are motivations that made me pursue this study. Having evaluated the theology and the inherited evangelical traditions, it becomes certain that transformative praxis that counteracts abusive and oppressive ideologies against women among evangelicals is imperative. To achieve this, the study has used an already published case study on interviews conducted among Christian women in the Full Gospel Church (FGC) in Phoenix, Durban. This has been used to facilitate theological observations. In seeking to answer its research question the dissertation examines and critiques the predominant discourses portrayed as some expressions of evangelical theology in chapters four, five and six as analysed from the said case study. The study achieves this purpose by engaging a theological reflection as its methodology through applying a “feminist theology of praxis” as its theoretical framework. Hence, the study proposes alternative evangelical theological discourses and resources for transformative praxis as its focus. The findings are tentative and require future empirical research. Arguing that “Theological statements contain as much truth as they deliver practically in transforming reality” (Sölle quoted in Ackermann 1996:42), the dissertation concludes with addressing the implications of this study by proposing practical ways for transforming men, aiming at deconstructing abusive and oppressive male paradigms. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2009.