The purpose of this research was to describe and explain family violence in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. It was conducted by means of a literature review, followed by empirical research, based on police dockets, against the background of Seligman's theory on learned helplessness. Other theories were also applied eclectically. The literature review was used to design a research schedule (questionnaire). This schedule was used for data capturing from police dockets from the Crime Information Analysis Centre (CIAC) at their Gauteng Regional office in Johannesburg. From this data, a convenience sample consisting of 415 cases, was compiled. These cases were reported at the charge offices of Laudium, Alexandra, Hillbrow, Rietgat, Eersterust and Mamelodi, during the period between 1 January 2001 and 1 March 2002. Domestic violence is caused by macrosocial-, gender- and relationship factors. These causes can be explained by certain aspects of structural- process- reaction and the learned helplesness theories. The adjudication of this causes and explanations focus on primary, secondary and tersiary aspects of prevention. Triggering facors, confrontation, crime incidents and restoring the equalibrium were studied in relation to the dynamics of domestic violence. All these factors such as causes, explanations, prevention and dynamics , are considered to explain the stabilization of domestic violence. / Die doel van hierdie navorsing was om gesinsgeweld in die Gauteng-Provinsie van Suid-Afrika te beskryf en te verklaar. E)it is gedoen aan die hand van 'n literatuurstudie, en is uitgebrei met 'n empiiiese ondersoek wat op polisiedossiere gebaseer is, teen die agtergrond van Seligman se teorie van aangeleerde hulpeloosheid, asook ander teoriee wat eklekties bygewerk is. Die literahmrstudie is gebrnik om 'n skedule (vraelys) te ontwerp. Die navorsingskedule is gebruik vir datavangs uit polisiedossiere. Die polisiedossiere van die Misdaadinligting- Analisesentrum (MIAS) van Gauteng se streekkantoor in Johannesburg is gebruik vir die samestelling van 'n geriefHkheidsteekproef bestaande uit 415 gevalle. Hierdie gevalle kom uit die aanmeldings by die aanklagkantore van Laudium, Alexandra, Hillbrow, Rietgat Eersterust en Mamelodi, tussen 1 Jamiaiie 2001 en 1 Maart 2002. Makrososiale faktore, geslagsrolsosialisering en verhoudingsfaktore veroorsaak gesinsgeweld. Sekere elemente van die struktuur- proses- reaksie- en aangeleerde hulpeloosheidsteoriee kan dit verklaar. Die beregting van bogenoemde fokus op primere, sekondere en tersiere voorkomingsaksies. Die dinamika waarop gefokus word met betrekking tot gesinsgeweld sluit in aspekte soos: die snellerfaktore, konfrontasie, die praktiese misdaadinsident en uiteindelik die herstelde ekwillibrium. A1 die faktore (oorsake, verklarings, voorkoming en dinamika) lei uiteindelik tot die stadium waar waar verduidelik word hoe gesinsgeweld gestabilliseer word. / Criminology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Criminology)

This thesis includes four studies investigating the experiences of abused women. According to ecological approaches different systems should be considered when conducting research into abused women and their experiences. The first study involved women who successfully left an abusive relationship. An ecological approach was used to investigate the experiences of the women in the different phases of their relationship, including the initial attraction to the partner, the development and sustaining of the abuse and her attempts to leave until her final decision to leave permanently. An important finding was the importance of considering and investigating all systems and levels when dealing with abused women, including those who have left and those who are contemplating leaving this relationship. The second study found that women who experienced physical abuse were often hurt in anatomical locations that were indicative of impulsive violence. The abuser used any object in the heat of the moment to attack the victim and no premeditated planning was evident in the type of injuries sustained. The women further reported that medical practitioners did not investigate the causes of injuries and that they were not referred to social services or organisations dealing with abused women, although they were recognised as suffering from abuse. The intersection of abuse of women and HIV was the topic of focus of the third study. A review of the records of abused women revealed that many abused women were subjected to risk factors for contracting HIV, with counsellors focussing only on abuse issues. Longitudinal case studies, of women exposed to both conditions, revealed that they lacked social support and were often secondarily victimised by the social welfare systems. An environmental scan found that social and health care services were not accessible to these women. The final study investigated intervention strategies to combat burnout in workers at an organisation dealing with abused women. The importance and effectiveness of creative exercises and art sessions were determined in combination with debriefing and supervision sessions. The studies all considered systems that are important in service delivery to abused women. A holistic and systemic investigation and treatment of abused women is shown to be essential, as is the importance of grass roots research. / Psychology / D. Phil. (Psychology)

This study aimed at exploring the impact of emotional and physical abuse that a male partner experiences “at the hands” of his female partner within a marriage or cohabitating relationship. This is accomplished by giving each respondent a “voice” with which he shares his victimisation experiences. Each case is individually analysed and interpreted according to an integrated systems model of abuse of the male victim of domestic violence which forms the theoretical foundation for this study. Through a process of in-depth personal interviews with the participants, researcher was able to compile a qualitative study, using the purposive snow ball sampling method. This information was used in collaboration with supportive literature to assist researcher in gaining a deep understanding of this form of domestic violence. It is hoped that this study will contribute to further research initiatives with regards to the male victim of domestic violence in South Africa. It is also researcher’s aim to inform victimology students and the helping professions about male battering and the unique circumstances surrounding it. / Criminology / Thesis (D. Litt. et Phil. (Criminology)

The purpose of this research was to describe and explain family violence in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. It was conducted by means of a literature review, followed by empirical research, based on police dockets, against the background of Seligman's theory on learned helplessness. Other theories were also applied eclectically. The literature review was used to design a research schedule (questionnaire). This schedule was used for data capturing from police dockets from the Crime Information Analysis Centre (CIAC) at their Gauteng Regional office in Johannesburg. From this data, a convenience sample consisting of 415 cases, was compiled. These cases were reported at the charge offices of Laudium, Alexandra, Hillbrow, Rietgat, Eersterust and Mamelodi, during the period between 1 January 2001 and 1 March 2002. Domestic violence is caused by macrosocial-, gender- and relationship factors. These causes can be explained by certain aspects of structural- process- reaction and the learned helplesness theories. The adjudication of this causes and explanations focus on primary, secondary and tersiary aspects of prevention. Triggering facors, confrontation, crime incidents and restoring the equalibrium were studied in relation to the dynamics of domestic violence. All these factors such as causes, explanations, prevention and dynamics , are considered to explain the stabilization of domestic violence. / Die doel van hierdie navorsing was om gesinsgeweld in die Gauteng-Provinsie van Suid-Afrika te beskryf en te verklaar. E)it is gedoen aan die hand van 'n literatuurstudie, en is uitgebrei met 'n empiiiese ondersoek wat op polisiedossiere gebaseer is, teen die agtergrond van Seligman se teorie van aangeleerde hulpeloosheid, asook ander teoriee wat eklekties bygewerk is. Die literahmrstudie is gebrnik om 'n skedule (vraelys) te ontwerp. Die navorsingskedule is gebruik vir datavangs uit polisiedossiere. Die polisiedossiere van die Misdaadinligting- Analisesentrum (MIAS) van Gauteng se streekkantoor in Johannesburg is gebruik vir die samestelling van 'n geriefHkheidsteekproef bestaande uit 415 gevalle. Hierdie gevalle kom uit die aanmeldings by die aanklagkantore van Laudium, Alexandra, Hillbrow, Rietgat Eersterust en Mamelodi, tussen 1 Jamiaiie 2001 en 1 Maart 2002. Makrososiale faktore, geslagsrolsosialisering en verhoudingsfaktore veroorsaak gesinsgeweld. Sekere elemente van die struktuur- proses- reaksie- en aangeleerde hulpeloosheidsteoriee kan dit verklaar. Die beregting van bogenoemde fokus op primere, sekondere en tersiere voorkomingsaksies. Die dinamika waarop gefokus word met betrekking tot gesinsgeweld sluit in aspekte soos: die snellerfaktore, konfrontasie, die praktiese misdaadinsident en uiteindelik die herstelde ekwillibrium. A1 die faktore (oorsake, verklarings, voorkoming en dinamika) lei uiteindelik tot die stadium waar waar verduidelik word hoe gesinsgeweld gestabilliseer word. / Criminology and Security Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Criminology)

This thesis includes four studies investigating the experiences of abused women. According to ecological approaches different systems should be considered when conducting research into abused women and their experiences. The first study involved women who successfully left an abusive relationship. An ecological approach was used to investigate the experiences of the women in the different phases of their relationship, including the initial attraction to the partner, the development and sustaining of the abuse and her attempts to leave until her final decision to leave permanently. An important finding was the importance of considering and investigating all systems and levels when dealing with abused women, including those who have left and those who are contemplating leaving this relationship. The second study found that women who experienced physical abuse were often hurt in anatomical locations that were indicative of impulsive violence. The abuser used any object in the heat of the moment to attack the victim and no premeditated planning was evident in the type of injuries sustained. The women further reported that medical practitioners did not investigate the causes of injuries and that they were not referred to social services or organisations dealing with abused women, although they were recognised as suffering from abuse. The intersection of abuse of women and HIV was the topic of focus of the third study. A review of the records of abused women revealed that many abused women were subjected to risk factors for contracting HIV, with counsellors focussing only on abuse issues. Longitudinal case studies, of women exposed to both conditions, revealed that they lacked social support and were often secondarily victimised by the social welfare systems. An environmental scan found that social and health care services were not accessible to these women. The final study investigated intervention strategies to combat burnout in workers at an organisation dealing with abused women. The importance and effectiveness of creative exercises and art sessions were determined in combination with debriefing and supervision sessions. The studies all considered systems that are important in service delivery to abused women. A holistic and systemic investigation and treatment of abused women is shown to be essential, as is the importance of grass roots research. / Psychology / D. Phil. (Psychology)

This study aimed at exploring the impact of emotional and physical abuse that a male partner experiences “at the hands” of his female partner within a marriage or cohabitating relationship. This is accomplished by giving each respondent a “voice” with which he shares his victimisation experiences. Each case is individually analysed and interpreted according to an integrated systems model of abuse of the male victim of domestic violence which forms the theoretical foundation for this study. Through a process of in-depth personal interviews with the participants, researcher was able to compile a qualitative study, using the purposive snow ball sampling method. This information was used in collaboration with supportive literature to assist researcher in gaining a deep understanding of this form of domestic violence. It is hoped that this study will contribute to further research initiatives with regards to the male victim of domestic violence in South Africa. It is also researcher’s aim to inform victimology students and the helping professions about male battering and the unique circumstances surrounding it. / Criminology and Security Science / Thesis (D. Litt. et Phil. (Criminology)