The focus of this study is to establish how victimization through violence has affected the families who are interviewed. The purpose is to describe how the family’s world has changed in different moments during the political strife in South Africa. The different context or moments are those of political inactivity, the struggle years, the period after the struggle when the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was constituted and the new world order in which the families continue with their lives. Using a phenomenological approach, the experiences of families subjected to different forms of political violence, such as disappearances of victims, torture in detention and death in detention, are discussed. The literature review on violence in the South African context situates any discourse which occurred within the broader social, historical and political context. Systems Theory, Social Identity Theory and an Integrated Theory of Political Violence are used as theoretical perspectives in understanding the interconnectedness between violence which affected the families in the present study and the whole society. The qualitative research interview method postulated by Kvale (1996) has been used to collect data from the families. This procedure has enabled the researcher to study the data as it emerged thus allowing an understanding of the essential meanings implicit in the participants’ descriptions of their experiences. The data consists of audio taped interviews conducted with twenty-two members from ten families. This resulted in twenty-two protocols which were transcribed and analysed. The analysis of the protocols, though used differently from the situated structure identified by Wertz (1983), brought essential themes common to all participants. The research findings reveal themes which demonstrate that experiences of the families subjected to political violence had an impact on their lives. They remember living routinely before the struggle against the apartheid structures. This is remembered as a very long time. The struggle years brought disintegration of the family unit as people fled their homes into exile. Others disappeared, were detained, tortured and dies in prison. The relationship between the families and their children was that of concern, as parents discouraged their children to participate in the political activities. The effects of violence culminated in hardship for many families as they experienced an absence of a helpful community, alienation from political organizations, and distrust of the State during the time that missing family members could not be traced by the security police. This distrust also existed among the communities who were experiencing suffering through incidents of black on black violence. The introduction of the TRC, as a major these with sub-themes of healing and forgiveness, is perceived positively by these families. At last, they feel that through this process their suffering of loss of their children, husbands and wives is acknowledged. However, there are divergent opinions about this acknowledgement, as research findings point to an incomplete sense of individual healing for these families though they have told their stories of pain and suffering. This is a controversial issue which needs further research to explicate if individual experience off the victim is perceived to be similar to the collective experience of the broader community. The performance of rituals and memories on behalf of their dead fulfils an important healing role for the families. There is ambivalence about forgiveness for many families as they feel that perpetrators who seek amnesty have not made full disclosures about their activities. There is polarization that surfaces between the present government and the families who testified with regard to reparation which was included as a clause in the TRC process. The families in the present study perceive that in order to continue with the new world order, they have to be compensated for their suffering. Further research should investigate if reparations to individuals who testified before the TRC would be healing, before implementing processes that would heal the whole nation. / Thesis (DPhil (Psychotherapy))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Psychology / unrestricted

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Thesis (PhD (Practical Theology))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Practical Theology / PhD / unrestricted

Victim-offender reconciliation programs (VORPs), the hallmark of the restorative justice movement, offer an alternative to the retributive approach to crime. These programs seek to bring the victim and offender together for purposes of working out a mediated settlement agreement.

Thesis(M.A. (Criminology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / The purpose of this study was to explore street robberies at Bungeni village, situated under Makhado Municipality of Limpopo Province, South Africa. The study sought to identify factors contributing to street robberies, to assess experiences of victims of these robberies and to determine measures that can be applied to prevent them. This qualitative study applied the exploratory research design to recruit participants using non-probability sampling techniques, specifically purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Thirteen (13) participants, including ten (10) victims of street robbery and three (3) local SAPS officials were selected for this study. Data was collected using individual face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Based on the transcribed data, themes were extracted and analysed using Thematic Content Analysis (TCA). This study established that there are factors that contribute to the occurrence of street robberies; victims are affected by street robberies (i.e. be it social, psychological and financial); and that there are measures that may reduce the occurrence of these robberies. Findings of the research indicate that factors such as time, space, individual’s lifestyle and routine activities contribute to victims being robbed in the streets and that these victims experience victimisation of street robberies differently. For recommendations, this study argues that some of these factors are lifestyle exposure, individual activities, spatial and temporal factors. Street robberies are characterised by the use of weapons, force and threat of force by offenders. Lastly, street robberies have a negative impact on victims. Keywords: Aggravated robbery, Crime prevention, Robbery, Street robbery and Victims

Thesis (M.A. (Criminology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2017 / Binge drinking, crime and victimisation are increasingly being recognised as problems on university and college campuses. Binge drinking is a pattern of drinking that can lead to anti-social behaviour among students. This can lead to a number of negative individual and social effects such as crime and victimisation. The key concepts, binge drinking, crime and victimisation during bashes are defined in relation to the Lifestyle Exposure Theory and Routine Activities Theory. This is done within the concepts of the theories and in particular motivated offenders, suitable targets, in the absence of a capable guardian. The aim of the study was to describe binge drinking and its resultant criminological outcomes during bashes at the University of Limpopo. A qualitative design was used in this study. The sampling method that was used to select the participants was nonprobability sampling and specifically snowball sampling. Data was collected until the saturation point, where no new information occurred. To analyse the data, thematic content analysis was used.

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / This research explores the potential value for the application of the visual expressionistic arts, as well as the application of forensic art for the emancipation of victims of violent crime. Qualitative research methods are used in order to make certain assumptions and recommendations for the application of the forensic arts in the emancipation of traumatized victims. The research is based on the view that human behaviour is influenced by different internal and external contextual influences. The theoretical basis for the research is further supported by the grounding principals of the psycho-analytic, symbolic interactionistic and the phenomenological theoretical approaches. The potential for the application of the forensic arts during crisis intervention and trauma counselling as a therapeutic technique and a communication medium are investigated. The potential forensic value of the victims’ art for the criminal justice system is also explored during the research. / Die navorsing ondersoek die potensiele waarde vir die aanwending van die tradisionele visuele beeldende kunste asook die aanwending van die forensiese kunste vir die emansipasie van slagoffers van geweldsmisdaad. Kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodes word tydens die navorsing gebruik ten einde sekere afleidings en aanbevelings te maak aangaande die aanwending van die forensiese kuns vir die emansipasie van getraumatiseerde misdaadslagoffers. Die navorsing word teoreties gebaseer op die beskouing van die mens wie se gedrag beinvloed word deur verskillende interne en eksterne kontekstuele invloede. Die teoretiese basis vir die navorsing word verder ondersteun deur die grondbeginsels van die psigo-analise, simboliese interaksionisme en die fenomenologiese teoretiese benaderings. Die potensiaal vir die aanwending van forensiese kuns as 'n terapeutiese tegniek en kommunikasiemedium tydens krisisingryping en berading word ondersoek. Die potensiele forensiese waarde van misdaadslagoffers se kuns in die regsplegingstelsel word ook in die navorsing ondersoek. / Criminology / M.A. (Criminology)

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / This research explores the potential value for the application of the visual expressionistic arts, as well as the application of forensic art for the emancipation of victims of violent crime. Qualitative research methods are used in order to make certain assumptions and recommendations for the application of the forensic arts in the emancipation of traumatized victims. The research is based on the view that human behaviour is influenced by different internal and external contextual influences. The theoretical basis for the research is further supported by the grounding principals of the psycho-analytic, symbolic interactionistic and the phenomenological theoretical approaches. The potential for the application of the forensic arts during crisis intervention and trauma counselling as a therapeutic technique and a communication medium are investigated. The potential forensic value of the victims’ art for the criminal justice system is also explored during the research. / Die navorsing ondersoek die potensiele waarde vir die aanwending van die tradisionele visuele beeldende kunste asook die aanwending van die forensiese kunste vir die emansipasie van slagoffers van geweldsmisdaad. Kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodes word tydens die navorsing gebruik ten einde sekere afleidings en aanbevelings te maak aangaande die aanwending van die forensiese kuns vir die emansipasie van getraumatiseerde misdaadslagoffers. Die navorsing word teoreties gebaseer op die beskouing van die mens wie se gedrag beinvloed word deur verskillende interne en eksterne kontekstuele invloede. Die teoretiese basis vir die navorsing word verder ondersteun deur die grondbeginsels van die psigo-analise, simboliese interaksionisme en die fenomenologiese teoretiese benaderings. Die potensiaal vir die aanwending van forensiese kuns as 'n terapeutiese tegniek en kommunikasiemedium tydens krisisingryping en berading word ondersoek. Die potensiele forensiese waarde van misdaadslagoffers se kuns in die regsplegingstelsel word ook in die navorsing ondersoek. / Criminology and Security Science / M.A. (Criminology)

The purpose of this study was to examine the role childhood sexual abuse (CSA), social support and a person's worldview (i.e., optimistic or pessimistic attitudes) had on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Although interpersonal violence is the leading cause of nonnatural death among adolescents in South Africa, research is limited. This thesis examined homicides among adolescents (15-19 years) in the city of Johannesburg, South Africa, during the period 2001 to 2009. It aimed to describe the incidence and epidemiology; depict the situational contexts based on victim, offender and event characteristics, and to develop a situational typology of adolescent homicides; and to identify the structural factors associated with neighbourhood levels of adolescent homicide within the city. Four separate studies were conducted using data from the National Injury Mortality Surveillance System (NIMSS), police case records, and Census 2001. The results revealed an average annual homicide rate of 23.4/100 000, with firearm homicides decreasing considerably over the study period, while homicides due to sharp instruments and blunt force increased. The epidemiological results highlighted the vulnerability of male, and black and coloured adolescents. The typological analysis identified three categories of adolescent homicide, namely: 1) male victims killed by strangers during a crime-related event; 2) male victims killed by a friend/acquaintance during an argument; and 3) female victims killed by male offenders, and indicates the need for multiple and focused prevention strategies. Alcohol use was also prevalent, with 39% of the victims tested having positive blood alcohol concentrations (BAC). The characteristics found to be associated with alcohol-related homicides, specifically, male victims killed with sharp instruments in public places, over the weekends and during the evenings, and by a friend/acquaintance draw attention to both the harmful pattern of intoxication-oriented drinking and the risky situational contexts in which adolescents consume alcohol. Finally, the results also showed that the incidence of male and female adolescent homicides was greater in neighbourhoods characterised by poverty and deprivation, while female adolescent homicides were also higher in neighbourhoods marked by high concentrations of households where children were not living with their parents. Overall the results point to the urgent need for a comprehensive prevention strategy that targets adolescents, their families and communities, and also addresses weapon availability, alcohol use, and issues of masculinity and gender to reduce homicides among adolescents. / D. Litt et Phil. (Psychology)

This research investigates the communication abilities of children who are exposed to criminal investigations because a crime was committed against them or they have witnessed a crime happening to another person. The study also determines how crime detectives can maximise their efforts in obtaining evidence from such children with the help of an interview as a technique to elicit information. The aim of the research was to understand the behaviour of children, so that more effective investigative interviews can be undertaken with child victims. The researcher wanted to identify the communication challenges associated with obtaining information from child victims and possible ways to overcome such challenges. It was found that the developmental stages of children, the manner in which interviewers/investigators conduct themselves during child interviews and the amount of knowledge possessed by interviewers to elicit information in a legally defensible manner are central to child victim interviews. / Criminology and Security Science / M. Tech. (Forensic Investigation)