Includes bibliography. / The investigation aims at examining the effects of exposure to civil. violence on 304 'black' and 'white' children's evaluations of violence whilst controlling for gender and socio-economic status differences. The study tests the hypothesis that children exposed to civil violence tend to accept the use of violence towards all authority figures. The rationale behind comparing black and white children lies in the phenomenon that civil "unrest" has been. concentrated in black areas in Greater Cape Town and media,restrictions have further insulated whites from this violent reality. The instrument employed to measure these children's evaluations of violence describes 8 incidents, each involving the use of violence either by an authority figure against a child or vice-versa. The authority figures include a policeman, soldier, parent and teacher. A ninth incident involves the use of violence by a husband to a wife. The children were requested to rate each scenario according to its degree of 'wrongness'. Data were analysed by statistical procedures. No differences between gender or socio-economic status were yielded. Comparisons across race were inconclusive although black children were significantly more accepting of a child's violence to a soldier, a finding attributed to the role of the SADF in the "unrest". In general most children in the sample condemned the use of violence, but condoned the use of physical force by teachers and mothers. An overwhelmingly high frequency of corporal punishment in the classrooms was evident, with children generally accepting this. While no definite findings regarding the influence of civil "unrest" on children's evaluations of violence emerged, the politicisation of children was evident in some findings. Violence and evaluations thereof emerged as context-bound, involving the ideological and political views of the respondent. Findings raised doubt around the validity of traditional tools, such as the instrument employed in this study, as measures of ideologically bound concepts such as violence.

A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2013 / This study examined prison violence that takes place in male correctional centres (prisons) in South Africa. Prison violence is examined as a product of situational design factors within the prison environment, where such factors motivate and provide opportunity for incidents of violence among offenders. Acts of violence among offenders are evaluated and contextualized in terms of forms, motivations, distribution and frequency of violence, following which prison violence is evaluated from a situational design perspective. The research areas in this study determined the directives that govern prison architecture and examined the benchmarks that measure effectiveness in terms of prison design; determined the governing principles of environmental psychology theories and practices; evaluated the forms of violence that take place in maximum security prisons in South Africa and further determined the design features and construction materials adopted in prison design, that motivate and provide opportunities for violent behaviour which in turn jeopardize offender and staff safety. Literature review in this study presented the history and evolution of prisons particularly the relationship between prison form and function, as well as the role of prisons in meeting the historical and current philosophies of punishment. In addition, literary theories surrounding environmental psychology and situational design were presented. Following this, literature was presented on the theoretical debate on the effectiveness of prison design on human behaviour, particularly violent behaviour that occurs in prisons. This study examined the situational impact on prison violence within four correctional centres in South Africa namely, Johannesburg Correctional Centre, Pretoria Central Correctional Centre, Modderbee and CMax. The data collection process included discussions with prison personnel, assessment of historical data, participant observation, unstructured interviews with officials, surveys in the form of interviews and questionnaires with offenders. Findings of this study presented prison violence from a situational perspective by identifying the specific locations within prisons that presented higher propensity for violence. Analysis of results demonstrated how prison design and construction material choice in prison design impacts on violence in prisons. Findings further indicated that specific geographic locations within the prison environment motivated and provided opportunities for prison violence; that design features and material choice adopted in the prison environment motivated prison violence among offenders in male prisons and that design features applied in prison design motivated frustrations among offenders and in turn perpetuated violence among offenders. The findings are presented from the perspective of the users of prisons, namely male offenders, and findings expose prison violence from the South African context. / TL (2020)

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, for the degree of Master of Arts. Johannesburg 1995. / This thesis set out to investigate the relation between hostels and the political violence on the Reef between July 1990 and December 1993 which claimed 4756 lives. This relation is anchored in a broader discussion of firstly, political violence in South Africa generally, and secondly of the hostel system. This contextualisation frames the investigation of two Sowetan hostels Meadowlands and Merafe. These two hostels were among those that became focal points of political violence on the Reef during the period under review. The thesis argues that the political violence and conflict on the Reef between 1990 and 1993 constituted a "war" in which these and other hostels played a crucial part. The Inkatha Freedom Party colonised these institutions, ejected non-Zulu and ANC supporters and transformed the hostels from migrants camps into "fortresses of fear" from which many attacks on township residents were launched. The thesis attempts to understand this process through an in-depth investigation of Meadowlands and Merafe hostels as case studies. It attempts to draw a sociological profile of these two hostels. This has involved examining these hostels as social institutions, the social relations and culture operating within them, and their place in the social structure of the surrounding community. The thesis has included an investigation of the social characteristics of hostel residents such as their ethnic identity, age, gender identity, marital, employment status, political affiliation and work history. These multiple identities are components in attempting to explain the participation of many hostel residents in political violence. Through a series of in-depth interviews the thesis has attempted to map their different experiences and understandings of political violence in relation to their broader aspirations, beliefs and world views. It is asserted that any investigation of the relation between hostels and political violence requires this attempt to map a 'view from below' which goes deeper than official statistics and media accounts. / AC2017

MGS / Institute for Gender and Youth Studies /  Domestic violence is a social problem experienced by people in various settings and social relationships. Factors such as cultural beliefs, patriarchal practices, economic background, socialization process, gender stereotypes are key drivers of domestic violence in our communities. Internationally, the problem is said to be a social ill that contributes to many social problems. Domestic violence takes place across all walks of life regardless of race, age, sexual orientation or gender. It takes place in urban areas and in rural areas all over the world. Domestic violence happens to people who are legally or traditionally married and amongst intimate partners. This study therefore explores the contributory factors leading to domestic violence. The study made use of qualitative research approach. Purposive sampling procedure was used to identify participants who were more willing to take part in the study. The study used Semi structured interviews to collect data. Thus, discourse analysis was used in the study to analyse data. The study was conducted at Mangaya village in Thulamela Local Municipality, Vhembe District, Limpopo Province in South Africa. The study findings revealed that unemployment is a challenge and contributory factor leading to domestic violence, most of women had suffered domestic violence for a long period of time, children are directly affected by domestic violence within families, most women sacrifice themselves in order to save their marriages and protect their children. The findings of the study indicate that there are various aspects that contribute to the problem of domestic violence. The study recommends that community and police should actively work together in helping the victims of domestic violence to overcome their irrational thinking that is combed by remaining in abusive situations. / NRF

Thesis (MA) -- University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to determine whether any relationship existed between identified circumstantial factors about the living conditions of black families and specific conflict tactics employed by them in an informal settlement in the Helderberg basin. The research hypothesis is founded on crime statistics for the past five years for the Helderberg basin that have shown a generally higher crime incidence/reporting rate for informal and low cost-housing compared to more affluent areas in the basin (CIAC, 2000). The purpose of exploring the existence of such a relationship was to highlight particular circumstantial factors, assisting decision makers at local government to intervene more effectively in terms of funds and resources to ensure safer community. A semi-structured questionnaire, developed by the author, was used to determine the presence of circumstantial factors in this community; the Conflict Tactic Scales, (CTS), developed by Straus (1979), served as the measure to assess the predominant conflict tactics employed by families in Nomzamo, an informal settlement in the Helderberg basin. Fifty families (2 members per family) participated in the study with one condition that one of the members should be a child between the ages of 12 and 17. The only significant relationship that was obtained was between the circumstantial factorlevel of education, and the conflict tactic-physical assault between spouses, which highlights the fact that continued education raises ones' awareness and empowers one to speak out against violence in the home. Possible reasons were offered, given that no other significant trends could be determined in the study and recommendations for future research in this field are made. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van die studie was om vas the stelof daar enigsins 'n verband bestaan tussen bepaalde omgewingsfaktore verwant aan die lewensomstandighede van swart gesinne in 'n informele nedersetting in the Helderberg-kom en spesifieke konflik strategieë deur hulle gebruik. Die navorsing hipotese spruit voort uit misdaad statistiek oor die afgelope vyf jaar vir die Helderberg-kom, wat oor die algemeen 'n hoë misdaadaanmeldingsyfer vertoon vir informele en lae-koste behuising areas in vergeleke met meer gegoede areas in die kom (CIAC, 2000). Die bepaling of daar wel 'n verband bestaan, het ten doelom besluitmakers binne plaaslike owerhede te assisteer om fondse tot hul beskikking, meer effektief aan te wend om misdaad verder te bekamp en die gemeenskap te beveilig. Die bepaling van die teenwoordigheid van omgewingsfaktore binne die gemeenskap, is gedoen deur middel van 'n semi-gestruktureerde vraelys wat deur die skrywer ontwikkel is; om vas te stel welke konflik strategieë meerendeels deur gesinne gebruik word in dié informele nedersetting, is gebruik gemaak van die Conflict Tactic Scales (CTS) soos ontwikkel deur Straus (1979). Vyftig gesinne (twee lede per gesin) het deelgeneem aan die studie met die voorwaarde dat een van die lede van die gesin 'n adolessent tussen 12 en 17 moes wees. Die enigste beduidenswaardige verband wat verkry is, was tussen die omgewingsfaktor - opvoedingspeil, en die konflik strategie - fisiese aanranding tussen eggenote. Dit dui daarop dat met toenemende onderrig, verhoog 'n mens se gewaarwordig en word 'n mens bemagtig om 'n standpunt in te neem teen geweld in die huis. Sekere redes word aangevoer gegee die feit dat geen ander beduidende verbande voortgespruit het uit die studie nie en voorstelle vir verder navorsing in dié veld word gegee.

The subculture of gang violence has become a most feared phenomenon in many povertystricken communities in South Africa and especially in the Western Cape. The gang violence that is prevalent in these communities affects mostly the adolescents, who are supposed to be &lsquo / the leaders of tomorrow&rsquo / . The purpose of this research study was to focus on adolescents in a community where gang violence is rife and in turn reveals their perceptions on gang violence, what the causes of gang violence are and how they are affected by it as expressed in their own words. The researcher establishes the significance and necessity of focusing on adolescents as influenced by gang violence through a phenomenological exploration of their lives. The position that is developed affirms that adolescents are adversely affected by gang violence both from a behavioral and cognitive standpoint. The dire extent of gang violence on these adolescents&rsquo / lives is illustrated by using Fanon&rsquo / s six dimensions of violence. Furthermore various theoretical hypotheses are provided to explain the or igin of gang violence in comparison to the explanations expressed by the adolescents themselves from the interviews conducted. The study is concluded with recommendations extracted from relevant literature as well as comments expressed by the participants of this study. The main limitation within this study was the lack of research outputs within the South African context on the topic of how gang violence affects adolescents who are not gang members. The rich information produced by this study in conducting in-depth interviews with adolescents makes this study significant.

Thesis (M.A. (Diversity Studies))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Humanities, School of Social Sciences, 2016 / IPV directed against male partners is a contentious and notorious topic within the study of domestic violence (Barkhuizen, 2010). Together with this it can be established from the research that even though there is a willingness amongst professionals to acknowledge males as victims of IPV there remains a lack of awareness both amongst professionals and society in general. Therefore, the issue of female-to-male IPV within the South African context is in need of extensive research. Accordingly, this research aims to fill the gap in the literature concerning male victimisation. Six key professionals- who work with domestic violence and have knowledge pertaining to the laws surrounding domestic violence- provided expert, educated opinions on the topic which were drawn from interviews that were transcribed and analysed with the use of thematic content analysis and critical discourse analysis. Key findings revealed the complexities of female-to-male IPV in South Africa. The research revealed that yes, South African law does make provision for male victims but the law is poorly implemented due to many intricacies. The most interesting results related to police perceptions of IPV (both female and male perpetrated). As such this study will bring about greater awareness of the issue and thus provide victims of female-to-male IPV the opportunity to report such incidents without fear of disbelief, reprisal or humiliation. In addition, this research will assist in addressing many of the academic debates and legal issues that surround this controversial aspect of abuse. KEY WORDS: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), Domestic Violence, Male Victimisation, Female-to-male IPV, Professionals, Police, South Africa / GR2017

A research project submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Psychology) in the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, March 2017. / Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a pervasive problem affecting many women in South Africa and worldwide. Due to the many consequences that victims of IPV experience, it is increasingly seen as a public health concern. Despite interventions targeted at reducing the rates of IPV, it still remains prevalent in South African communities. Research has mainly explored IPV from the victims’ perspective and only in recent years has there been a marked interest in perpetrators of IPV. This study explores an identified gap in literature which examines the experiences and actions of male perpetrators of IPV. In-depth interviews were conducted with five men who were a part of a perpetrator reintegration programme at a Non-Governmental Organisation in Johannesburg. The data was analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis in an attempt to better understand their reported individual experiences. The study found that there was little consensus amongst perpetrators of IPV regarding the nature and causes of violence. IPV is normalised by many perpetrators. It is embedded in a context of patriarchy which emphasizes male dominance over the household, the finances and the women and children. Men and women are socialized into the context of patriarchy. Through the research, it was found that perpetrators view their actions as a response to something their partner did wrong or did not do, thus the act is seen as justified, the use of blame and minimization of the act were common responses when asked about experiences of IPV. Traditional customs such as Lobola allowed men to believe that they owned their wives, and through this had dominance and control over the relationship. This was viewed by participants as a right to discipline and punish one’s partner. / XL2018

The subculture of gang violence has become a most feared phenomenon in many povertystricken communities in South Africa and especially in the Western Cape. The gang violence that is prevalent in these communities affects mostly the adolescents, who are supposed to be &lsquo / the leaders of tomorrow&rsquo / . The purpose of this research study was to focus on adolescents in a community where gang violence is rife and in turn reveals their perceptions on gang violence, what the causes of gang violence are and how they are affected by it as expressed in their own words. The researcher establishes the significance and necessity of focusing on adolescents as influenced by gang violence through a phenomenological exploration of their lives. The position that is developed affirms that adolescents are adversely affected by gang violence both from a behavioral and cognitive standpoint. The dire extent of gang violence on these adolescents&rsquo / lives is illustrated by using Fanon&rsquo / s six dimensions of violence. Furthermore various theoretical hypotheses are provided to explain the or igin of gang violence in comparison to the explanations expressed by the adolescents themselves from the interviews conducted. The study is concluded with recommendations extracted from relevant literature as well as comments expressed by the participants of this study. The main limitation within this study was the lack of research outputs within the South African context on the topic of how gang violence affects adolescents who are not gang members. The rich information produced by this study in conducting in-depth interviews with adolescents makes this study significant.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study concerns the state and violence in the Western Cape. This study was undertaken because the Western Cape has since 1996 been plagued by violence, including bombings, assassinations and violent protests. In particular these violent incidents have been labeled as terrorism or urban terrorism. The South African government does however not have a definition or a policy promulgated into law regarding terrorism. Very little progress has been in apprehending the person(s) and or group(s) responsible for these incidents of violence. The study therefore looked at violence in the Western Cape in an exploratory way. The aim of the paper was to (1) find credible appropriate definitions of terrorism, (2) to identify possible role players in violence, (3) to establish a chronology of violent events, (4) to identify the frequency, distribution and patterns of violence, (5) analyse the communication of events. An underlying theme throughout the paper is the weak state in which violence is a cause, consequence, and indicator of the weak state. The violence-plagued Western Cape is the geographical focus of the study. The paper looks at three incidents of violence, representative of the types of violence that have taken place in the Western Cape. The bombing of the Planet Hollywood restaurant, the killing of policeman Bennie Lategan and the killing of gangster Neville Herold are the cases discussed by in paper. For the purpose of the paper, the period of interest is the transitional period of the 1980's to 1994. The period under study is August 1998 to December 1999. After careful consideration of all the information the following conclusions where reached. The killing of Bennie Lategan is a terrorist act while the killing of Neville Herold and the Planet Hollywood bomb blast are not terrorist acts according to the definition used by this paper. PAGAD emerged as the major role player involved in violence. The organization is also complex and multidimensional with various groupings within the organization. The weak policing and justice systems are among the factors contributing to violence. The propositions and theories suggested by this study are based on current information and therefore speculative. Should more information become available these propositions may need to be revisited. Continual research on this topic is therefore important. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie gaan oor geweld in the Wes Kaap. Die studie was nodig omdat die Wes Kaap sedert 1996 geteister word deur geweld, insluitende bomplanting, sluipmoorde en geweldadige protesaksie. Hierdie geweldige insidente is bestempel as terrorisme of stedelike geweld. Die Suid Afrikaanse regeering het egter nie 'n definisie of beleid oor terrorisme nie. Baie min persone of groepe verantwoordelik vir geweld is voorgekeer. Hierdie studie gaan dus oor geweld in die Wes Kaap. Die doel van hierdie studie was (1) om 'n definisie van terrorisme, georganiseerde misdaad, geweld, vigilantisme en Islamietiese Fundamentalisme te vind, (2) om moontlike deelneemers van geweld te identifiseer, (3) om 'n kronologie van geweld op te stel, (4) Sekere patrone van geweld te identifiseer, en om te studeer wat hierdie insidente aan ander kommunikeer? 'n Onderligende tema, in die studie is die swak staat waarin geweld 'n oorsaak, gevolg en aanduiding is van die swak staat is. Die Wes-Kaap is die geografiese fokus van die studie. Die studie kyk na drie insidente van geweld wat alle tipe geweld in die Wes Kaap verteenwoordig. Die bomontploffing van die Planet Hollywood restaurant, die moord van polisieman Bennie Lategan en bende leier Neville Herold is die gevalle wat bespreek word in die studie. Vir die doel van die studie is die tydperk van die 1980' s tot 1994 van belang. Die tydperk onder bestudering is Agustus 1998 to January 1999. Na oorweging van al die informasie is die volgende gevolgtrekkings gemaak. Die Planet Hollywood ontploffing en die moord op Neville Herold is nie terroriste dade nie, maar die moord op Bennie Lategan is 'n terroriste daad. PAGAD kom te voorskyn as die grootse deelnemer in geweld. Die organisasie is kompleks en het veelvuldige dimensies met verskeie groepe binne die organisasie. Swak polisieering en die regstelsel is onder die faktore wat bydra tot geweld. Die voorstellings en teorië wat voorgestel in die studie, is gebaseer op huidige informasie en daarom is dit spekulatief. Indien meer inligting beskikbaar gemaak word sal die afleidings en voorstelle hersien moet word. Voordurende navorsing oor hierdie onderwerp is daarom nootsaaklik.