Emotional abuse is a problem experienced worldwide, crossing all economic, educational, social and ethnic segments of all societies. Overtime, many empirical researchers concentrated on studying the occurrence and impact of physical abuse on women but neglected to study the effects of emotional abuse on the woman's physical and mental health. But with time, researchers began to realise that emotional abuse also had a great impact on the lives of women. Therefore, a detailed exploration of emotional abuse between intimate adult partners has only recently emerged in the literature. Though it is difficult to separate emotional abuse from other forms of abuse, many women in our research who were provided with a definition of emotional abuse identified and confirmed that they have been emotionally abused in their past or are being abused in their current intimate relationships. This research project focused mainly on women who suffered and have survived the wounds of emotional abuse in intimate relationships. Group work is aimed at the growth and development of the individual. This study reports on an in-depth analysis of the arrangements and formulation of the structure of support groups, and the effectiveness of the functioning of these groups. Participants who joined the support groups in this research, were women who have undergone therapeutic intervention and are/or were engaged in a healing process that involved reintegration, implementation and maintenance of therapeutic goals. Support groups do provide a place where people can share their experiences in a safe environment, and where they can symbolise their experiences and consequently make them more acceptable to the self. It has been concluded in this research that support groups were effective in giving members the opportunity of helping each other to heal from the wounds of emotional abuse by being supportive, giving feedback, making helpful suggestions and providing useful information necessary for their growth and development. Therefore, participants who joined the support groups agreed that they have benefited by receiving the encouragement and support from one another, which contributed towards their process of healing emotionally, and in turn, caused them to change from being helpless victims to survivors of emotional abuse. / Sociology / D. Phil (Sociology)

Women face a greater risk of HIV infection worldwide than men. This study explored socio-economic, cultural and environmental factors influencing young women’s vulnerability to HIV. A quantitative explorative study was conducted among young women in Sunnyside, Pretoria. A sample of 158 young women in the age group 18 to 24 years from all language groups was randomly selected to participate in this study. The findings showed that poverty, peer pressure and multiple sexual partners were the main factors that influenced young women in Sunnyside’s vulnerability to HIV. Behavioural change and social change were recommended as long-term processes, which need to be taken into consideration. Findings from the Sexual Relationship Power Scales show that young women between 18 and 21 years experience physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and forced sex in their relationships. The study concluded with specific recommendations for the successful implementation of policy makers and planners to protect women. / Health Studies / M.A. (Social Behaviour Studies in HIV/AIDS)

Text in Afrikaans with summaries in Afrikaans and English / Despite the fact that many people in South Africa are affected by divorce, not much research is done on divorce recovery. This study on divorce recovery is shaped by a feminist theological perspective and a postmodem social constructionist discourse. As qualitative research, narrative group work was embarked on over a period of a year with five women who went through divorce. Through therapeutic letters different themes emerged. These themes formed the focus for each chapter and are enriched by relevant literature reflections. In the first chapter the stark reality of divorce in South Africa, the discursive positioning, epistemology and research methodology are discussed, and the stories of the participants are told. Divorce is deconstructed by the participants as resistance to patriarchy and not only an interpersonal crisis. The majority of claimants in divorce cases in South Africa are women. The dominant oppressive biblical discourse that divorce is always sin is reconstructed. An alternative religious discourse is co-constructed amongst the participants: that divorce under certain circumstances is God's will for women who are caught in humiliating and oppressive marriages. The various spheres of life that women reconstruct after divorce are discussed. These include: • practical matters such as the legal proceedings, housing and finances • emotional reconstruction where emotions such as fear. senses of guilt, and rage from a feminist perspective view are discussed. • reconstruction of social relations which includes aspects such as the relation with the former husband, family, new male friends and children • spiritual reconstruction which includes a feminist perspective on the Bible, sin, the will of God, and also a divorce ritual • the reconstruction of identity. Finally the five participants' reconsructed stories are told. / Ten spyte daarvan dat baie mense in Suid-Afrika deur egskeiding geraak word, word daar nie veel navorsing oor egskeidingsherstel gedoen nie. Hierdie studie oor egkeidingsherstel word gedoen vanuit 'n feministies teologiese perspektief en 'n sosiale konstruksieteorie diskoers. Oor 'n tydperk van 'n jaar is deur middel van kwalitatiewe navorsing saam met vyf vroue wat deur egskeiding geraak is, groepswerk gedoen. Uit die terapeutiese briewe wat geskryf is het verskillende temas uitgekristalliseer. Hierdie temas het die grondslag gevorm vir elke hoofstuk wat deur 'n relevante literatuurstudie aangevul is. In die eerste hoofstukke word die harde werklikhede van egskeiding, die diskoersposionering, epistemologie en navorsingsmetodiek bespreek. Die verhale van die deelnemers word vertel. Egskeiding word deur die deelnemers dekonstrueer as weerstand teen patriargie en nie net 'n interpersoonlike krisis nie. Die meerderheid eisers in egskeidingsgedinge in Suid-Afrika is vroue. Die onderdrukkend dominante Bybelse diskoers dat egskeiding altyd sonde is word rekonstrueer. 'n Alternatiewe godsdienstige diskoers, dat egskeiding vir vroue wat in vernederende en onderdrukkend huwelik vasgevang is, onder sekere omstandighede die wil van God kan wees, word saam met die deelnemers rekonstrueer. Die verskillende lewensterreine wat vroue na egskeiding rekonstrueer, word bespreek. Dit sluit in: • praktiese aangeleenthede soos die regsproses, behuising en finansies • emosionele rekonstruksie wat emosies soos angs, skuldgevoelens en woede word vanuit 'n feministiese perspektiefbespreek • spirituele rekonstruksie wat 'n feministiese perspektief op die Bybel, sonde, die wil van God en 'n egskeidingsritueel insluit • die rekonstruksie van identiteit Ten slotte word die vyf deelnemers se nuwe verhale vertel. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / D.Th. (Pastoral Therapy)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of food gardens in influencing the vulnerability of women in rural communities to HIV-infections. The study was conducted at the Makotse Women's Club in rural Limpopo. Qualitative field research was used and five participants were purposefully selected for participation in face-to-face interviews. The study found that the women's involvement in the food gardens enabled them to take responsibility for their own lives. Participation in food gardens gave these women an opportunity for income generation, the chance to access healthy food sources to improve their and their families' diets and a sense of meaning and purpose in their lives. Financial independence from husbands and male partners freed them from poverty and male domination. Through exposure to HIV and AIDS education programmes offered at the food gardens the women were empowered with knowledge about sexual health, hence reducing their vulnerability to HIV-AIDS. / Sociology / M. A. ((Social Behaviour Studies in HIV/AIDS))

Mining as a historical male-dominated space is confronted by various transformational structural changes. While the racial composition of mining boards has improved, gender representation of women in boards is problematic. Owing to our historical legacy of apartheid and decades of colonialism, South Africa became a victim of an unequal society. The new political dispensation under the leadership of Nelson Mandela sought to redress those inequalities after the fall of apartheid in 1994. However, gender inequalities and the gender subject remain contentious issues, particularly in historically male-dominated sectors such as mining. With legislation enforcement, only a few mining companies have improved the representation of women on boards (WoB), while some companies remain with no women or only one woman on board. However, despite the atrocities of apartheid, South African mining sector is relatively performing better in terms of WoB than countries that were not exposed to such a discriminatory dispensation. Yet still, mining lags far behind compared to other industries in South Africa. This outlook led me to conduct a multiple cross-case analysis research study to explore how women were integrated into mining by reviewing talent management practices used to appoint women (and men) by exploring recruitment, development and retention practices. I adopted an emancipatory critical research approach, a feminist epistemological paradigm, and I considered African feminism a suitable research approach given the unique context of South African mining history. The results showed that the industry still faces gender structural inequalities guided by an indoctrinated mindset of the sector, and that it is still to a great extent racially biased. While most focus of talent management is directed at recruiting more women, men still control recruitment, which is biased and informal, and different or stringent recruitment criteria are applied for women. Even though women occupy a few board seats and exceed the critical mass in some boards, they still face change-resistant attitudes and stereotypes and a double glass ceiling in terms of who has a right of voice, which disregarded their talent. All women regardless of race, were subject to stereotypes, but dealt with them differently. I found that black women are more affected than any other racial group due to their social identities, facing triple oppression due to their gender and race, but also class, which affects their confidence and their talent offering to board responsibilities. In fear of marginalisation, the black women in my study felt that they needed to earn the trust of men, especially those of white men. White, Indian and 1coloured women who were affected by gender stereotypes were silent about those prejudices, but were also still discriminated against with fewer board opportunities. The effectiveness of training and development of directors and retention was hindered by the culture in mining, individual constructed identities and societal gender constructions of roles and responsibilities. These constructions undermined the talent of women in boards and constructed the talent of men as superior. / Thesisi ye e fa tlhahlobo ye e tseneletšego ya ditirišo tša taolo ya talente ka dikhamphaning tše tshela tša meepo tša go ngwadišwa le JSE ka Afrika Borwa. E nyakišiša gobaneng talente ya mosadi e hlokomologilwe, le gore gobaneng basadi ba tšwela pele go ba palo ye nnyane mo dibotong le ge e le gore molao wa Afrika Borwa o thekga tekatekano ya bong le gore tokafatšo ya taba (business case) e hlatsetšwe go ya ka tirišo. Mokgwatlwaelo wa basadi wa Afrika o šomišwa ka go kopantšha mokgwa wa maemo a magareng woo o lebantšhago go kopano ya morafe le bong. Tšhomišo ya mokgwatlwaelo wa basadi wa Afrika gape e dira teori seemo sa go ithuta bong go ya ka mabaka a moswananoši gomme mo tabeng ye, intasteri ye e tletšego ka banna ka nageng ya morago ga kgatelelo le morago ga kgethollo. Dipoelo di bontšhitše gore intasteri e lebana le diphapano tša sebopego tša bong tše di hlahlwago ke maikutlo ao a tsentšwego a lekala, le le sa ntšego le tšea lehlakore go ya ka morafe. Komiti ya ditšhišinyo e tletše ka thwalo ya taolo ya banna, yeo e tšeago lehlakore ebile e se ya semmušo, gomme dikriteria tša go fapana tša thwalo di a šomišwa go basadi. Basadi ka moka go sa šetšwe morafe, ba be ba lebana le ditlwaedi, eupša ba be ba šogana le tšona ka go fapana. Basadi ba bathobaso ba sa ntše ba lebana le kgatelelo ya go menagana gararo ya go amana le bong bja bona, morafe, le boemo. Ka go tšhoga nyenyefatšo, basadi ba Bathobaso ba be ba nyaka tumelelo go banna, kudu ya banna ba Bathobašweu. Basadi ba Bathobašweu, Bathobaso, Maindia le Bammala ba be ba sa bolele ka dikgethollo, eupša gape ba be ba sa ntše ba gatelelwa kgahlanong le menyetla e se mekae ya boto. Katlego ya tlhahlo le tlhabollo ya balaodibagolo le kganetšo di šitišitšwe ke setšo sa meepo, maitšhupo ao a bopilwego a go ikgetha le dibopego tša bong tša setšhaba tša dikarolo le maikarabelo. Dibopego tše di nyaditše talente ya basadi ka dibotong gomme di bopile talente ya banna go ba ya maemo a godimo. Nyakišišo ye e kgatha tema go dingwalo tša tirišo tša basadi mo dibotong ka go nyakišiša mašomelo a taolo ya talente – a selo se se hlokomologilwego basading mo dinyakišišong tša diboto. E hlaloša ka fao basadi ba thwalwago, hlahlelwago maemo a boto le go hlaloša hlokomologo ya go tsenela taolo ya talente. / Business Management / Ph. D. (Management Studies)

This is a transdisciplinary study of how ‘popular cultures of survival’ regenerate and rehumanise township residents and communities whose social fabric and intergenerational bonds have been violently torn by endemic suffering. I focus specifically on township mothers’ and daughters’ lifeworlds with the aim of recentering these marginalised lives so that they can inform us about retheorising marginality and in this way enrich our limited academic discourses on the subjectivities of poor urban African women. Located in the interdisciplinary field of popular culture studies, the study draws on and synthesises theoretical insights from a number of disciplines such as sociology, political-science, anthropology, history, literary studies, womanist and feminist studies and indigenous studies, while using a variety of methods and sources such as interviews, reports, observation, newspapers, field notes, photo-albums, academic articles and embodied expressions to create a unique theory on the lived and embodied suffering and healing experiences of township women. I have called this situated conceptual framework that is theoretically aligned to African womanism and existential phenomenology, but principally fashioned out of township mothers and daughters ways of understanding the world and their place in it--Township mothers’ and daughters’ lived and embodied ‘cultures of survival’. And in order to surface their popular cultural survival strategies I have adopted an African womanist interpretative phenomenological methodological framework. This suggested conceptual and methodological framework has allowed me to creatively explore the dialectical tensions of the everyday township philosophies, aesthetics and moralities of ‘ukuphanta’, to hustle and ‘ukuhlonipha’, to respect, and show how they create the moral-existential ground for township mothers and daughters not only to continue to survive, but to reclaim lives of dignity and sensuality amidst repeated negation and historical hardships. / Sociology / D.Litt. et Phil. (Sociology)

Reproductive health is very important as it shapes a woman's whole life. Currently there are a lot of obstacles which deny women their rights to reproductive health. The aim of this research was to find out what obstacles deny women the freedom to enjoy their reproductive health in order to establish a contribution which can be used by the Department of Health to improve their services. Descriptive research was conducted, using a survey approach. Convenience sampling was utilized. Participants were selected from a sample of people attending the reproductive health clinic at a hospital and a clinic in the Northern Province. The findings indicate that women are not enjoying reproductive health rights due to low educational level, cultural and societal constraints, low socio economic status and the negative attitude of the providers, of reproductive health services. / Contraceptives / Family planning / Health and gender / Health rights / Reproductive choice / Reproductive health / Reproductive rights / Reproductive health care / Women's rights / Rural women / Health Science / M.A.Cur.(Nursing Science)

The Dominican Sisters of St Catharine of Siena arrived in South Africa in 1877. White women joined the congregation. In 1928 the first black woman entered the congregation but because of the policies affecting the different race groups in South Africa, the full integration of black and coloured women was not achieved until 1983. Chapter 1 introduces the topic of the integration of the black and coloured sisters. Chapter 2 traces the origin of the congregation and looks at its development. A brief overview of the story of the black sisters is given in Chapter 3. In the next chapter archival sources are used to understand what happened. Interviews that were conducted with some of the sisters involved in the story are given in Chapter 5. In Chapter 6 there is a look at the current situation and some of the implications for the future as the process of integration continues. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Systematic Theology)

The phenomenon of stigmatisation in the transmission of HIV/AIDS was highlighted in this study, and considered from a social constructionist perspective. The lived experiences of 20 participants were explored in the context of a stigma reduction programme. Perceived meanings attached to stigma, and its influence on participant behaviour was revealed through narratives. The influence of the programme on participant meaning making and perceptions was also revealed, and found that the meaning of stigma remained unchanged, and therefore stigma was not reduced. Not discounting the therapeutic platform of the programme in enabling co-construction of new perspectives which enabled coping mechanisms for participants in dealing with their circumstances. It is recommended that studies such as this be used to assist future stigma reduction programmes to identify their roles in meaning making regarding stigma, with the premise in mind that if meaning shifts, experiences will shift. / Psychology / M.A (Psychology)

Human Immunodeficiency Virus is the leading cause of death among women of reproductive age worldwide. It is also a major contributor to infant mortality. The effective application of prevention of mother-to-child transmission strategies effectively reduces the risk of mother-to-child transmission. The intent of this study was to determine the availability and accessibility of the PMTCT programme in one district of the North West Province of South Africa. A qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual design was utilised to gain better understanding of the experiences of both the HIV positive pregnant women and the Health Care Workers regarding the availability and access to the PMTCT programme. The study population consisted of HIV positive pregnant women between 18 and 49 years of age and Health Care Workers aged between 21 to 60 years of age. The non-probability purposive sampling technique was utilised to identify potential research participants. Data were collected by means of individual semi-structured interviews with HIV positive pregnant women and focus group discussions with the Health Care Workers. Adherence to Tesch’s eight descriptive methods was utilised as the primary form of data analysis, organisation and interpretation. The findings of the study revealed that availability and accessibility of PMTCT services are still problematic. Distance, waiting periods, and long queues were among the few mentioned as problematic. There were also few positives such as communication, counseling and health education. Strategies for facilitation of the availability and accessibility of the PMTCT programme were developed based on the findings. Themes emerged from the HIV positive pregnant women’s data included: acceptance of one’s sero positive status, maternal concerns, stressors about HIV status, as well as lack and shortage of resources and support by health care professionals and family; while emerging themes from the Health Care Workers included: fear of disclosure by HIV positive pregnant women, child feeding, formal trainings and workshops on PMTCT programme, as well as lack and shortage of resources and loss to follow-up activities / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)