Thesis (Ph.D. (Psychology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / Though it is difficult to determine the prevalence of intimate partner murder-suicide (IPMS), it does appear that this phenomenon is reported in different parts of the world. The psychological consequences of this phenomenon to the surviving family members have also been widely reported. The aim of the study was to conduct a psychological autopsy (PA) on male perpetrators and female victims of IPMS in a rural community in Limpopo Province. The research objectives were; 1) To understand the psychological intent, motives and behaviour of male perpetrators and female victims in IPMS; 2) to identify role played by male perpetrators and female victims in effecting their death; 3) To investigate multiple trajectories (that is, psychological, social, environmental and cultural/historical context) contributed to IPMS; 4) To identify other factors or events that may have triggered fatal behaviour of both male perpetrators and female victims of IPMS; 5) To understand circumstances around IPMS; 6) To develop guidelines to assist in responding to IPMS. The study was qualitative in nature. In particular, the case study design was used. Interpretative phenomenology approach was adopted. The study was informed by the Theory of Planned Behaviour. Purposive sampling used to select cases of intimate partner murder-suicide. Snowball sampling used to select participants and archival sampling was used to select archived record. Thematic Content Analysis (that is, inductive analysis) was used to identify patterns of meaning across the datasets in order to provide answers to the research objective. The research revealed five major themes. These themes are psychological profile of perpetrators, psychological profile of victims, multiple trajectories towards IPMS, possible triggers in IPMS and circumstance around IPMS. Research findings suggest that although IPMS came as a total surprise there were psychological intent, motive, behaviour on the part of male perpetrators and female victims. The study recommends the need for further PA studies to shed the light on the psychological intent of male perpetrators and female victims of IPMS. The psychological intent of male perpetrators and female victims of IPMS heighten the urgency for policy makers to develop IPMS prevention strategies and policies / National Institute for the Humanities and Social Science (NIHSS), and South African Humanities Deans Association (SAHUDA)

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T15:38:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 AnaKSA_TESE.pdf: 1508409 bytes, checksum: 150085ae9f3ce6f42ce687dcae477cfe (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-03-22 / The murder-suicide (H / S) has been defined as a shocking crime in which a person takes the life of another and then kills himself within 24 hours. Set up as a gender violence, because men are in majority, the killers and the women victims. This study aims to understand the meanings of the experience of a H / S, from women who have survived this act. This study sets up as a hermeneutic phenomenological research, based on Heidegger`s ontology. We interviewed three survivors of H / S, whose narratives allowed to approach the senses present in their lives. The interviews were transcribed and interpreted in accordance with the hermeneutic circle, as proposed by Martin Heidegger. From the interviews of research participants perceive that these women have built their senses in stocks, represented the family foundation and the presence of a husband and children. This project that moved their lives toward the construction of modes-of-being. We noticed the presence of historicity constructing meanings for the existence of these women. We found reports of an experience of loving relationships characterized by strong jealousy, with the presence of fantasies of betrayal, and marked by a careful affective relationship that put them in the position of object possession of his companions. Reflect that such caring restricted their existence being-for-husband. So the senses that moved their stocks, which aimed his ways existential, was the creation of a family, a reference to their lives, to live a love, and care for the children. Therefore, beyond the already known aspects in studies on violence against women, which made these women continue to choose this relationship was the sense that they had for their existence. It is hoped that this study will contribute to the construction of a new look on violence against women, taking as a basis the Heideggerian hermeneutic phenomenology / O homic?dio seguido de suic?dio (H/S) tem sido definido como um impactante crime em que uma pessoa tira a vida de outra e depois se mata em at? 24 horas. Configura-se como uma viol?ncia de g?nero, pois os homens s?o, em maioria, os assassinos e as mulheres, v?timas. Este trabalho tem como objetivo compreender os sentidos da experi?ncia de um H/S, a partir de mulheres que sobreviveram a este ato. Tal estudo configura-se como uma pesquisa fenomenol?gica-hermen?utica, baseada na ontologia heideggeriana. Foram entrevistadas tr?s sobreviventes de H/S, cujas narrativas permitiram nos aproximarmos dos sentidos presentes nas suas exist?ncias. Os depoimentos foram transcritos e interpretados de acordo com o c?rculo hermen?utico, tal como proposto por Martin Heidegger. A partir das entrevistas das participantes da pesquisa percebemos que tais mulheres constru?ram sentidos em suas exist?ncias, representados no alicerce familiar e pela presen?a de um marido e de filhos. Projeto este que movia as suas vidas em dire??o ? constru??o de modos-de-ser. Percebemos a presen?a da historicidade construindo sentidos para a exist?ncia dessas mulheres. Constatamos relatos de uma viv?ncia de rela??es amorosas caracterizadas por forte ci?me, com a presen?a de fantasias de trai??o, e marcadas por um cuidado na rela??o afetiva que as colocava na posi??o de objeto de posse dos seus companheiros. Refletimos que tal modo de cuidar restringia a sua exist?ncia a ser-para-o-marido. Assim, os sentidos que moviam as suas exist?ncias, os quais destinavam os seus caminhos existenciais, era a constitui??o de uma fam?lia, de uma refer?ncia para suas vidas, de viverem um amor, e de cuidarem de seus filhos. Portanto, muito al?m dos aspectos j? conhecidos em estudos sobre a viol?ncia contra a mulher, o que fazia essas mulheres continuarem a escolher essa rela??o era o sentido que elas tinham para a sua exist?ncia. Espera-se que este estudo contribua para a constru??o de um novo olhar acerca da viol?ncia contra mulher, tendo como fundamento a fenomenologia hermen?utica heideggeriana

Homicide-Suicide (H-S) is a rare but violent event in which an individual commits homicide and thereafter commits suicide. The H-S phenomenon appears to be increasing among members of the South African Police Service (SAPS). Although research on H-S is sparse, several SA studies have implicated the SAPS as a high risk occupational group for such killings. However, no systematic research that focuses on police H-S has ever been conducted within the RSA. The aim of this thesis is to determine the underlying causes of police H-S killings. The current national study included thirty-eight (38) police H-S cases over a two-year period (2012-2013). The macro, meso, and micro levels of analysis were utilised to study this phenomenon and to test both the socio-cultural and intrapsychic explanations of H-S. A mixed method approach was utilised, which involved both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Information on H-S was collected via document analysis and interviews with survivors of an H-S attack. The data obtained from the documents were coded on the SAPS “Homicide-Suicide Incidence Coding Form” and the results of this analysis were presented graphically in both tables and charts. Three interviews were conducted with the survivors of these attacks and were qualitatively analysed. The SAPS displayed an H-S incidence rate of 24.27 per 100 000 police officers. A typical police H-S perpetrator is likely to be a black African male who is 35 years old with a Grade 12 education. He would hold the rank of a constable and would have a history of domestic abuse. His victim would usually be an intimate partner of the same race who would be younger than him. She would be employed as an administrative clerk and would be shotand killed multiple times by her amorous jealous boyfriend due to a heated argument or quarrel. The service pistol would be used to commit both H-S killings. Four main themes emerged from the transcripts, namely: Patriarchal dynamics in H-S relationships, Financial issues and the patriarchal order, The death wish (“Thanatos”) of the perpetrator and the H-S survivors as double victims. On the macro level, partial support was found for social integration theory, while the meso and micro levels of analysis supported the psychodynamic perspective. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)