A research report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Political Studies by Coursework and Research Report in the Department of Political Studies Faculty of Humanities March 2016 / Domestic violence is both a local and global phenomenon. Much research has been conducted on its incidence in South Africa, but there is a dearth of research on how it affects Muslim communities. Thus, this research report contributes to the literature in providing a case study of how a select middle class cohort of Muslims in Johannesburg, by gender and generation, discursively construct their perspectives on domestic violence in their community. The research investigates how members of Muslim congregations understand and define gendered violence, particularly violence against women. The research report addresses two key themes through the research. The first, involves a textual analysis of the interpretations of Chapter 4 Verse 34 in the Qur’an. The interpretations and understandings of this verse and of Islam form the basis for how the respondents defined, understood and perceived gendered violence in their community and in wider society, especially violence against women. The main focus of the empirical research, addresses how a diverse group of respondents relate to the issue of violence against women in Islam and in the Muslim community. This research report adopts a case study approach and thus does not have general applicability. However, through an analysis of focus groups and individual interviews, which form the basis of the research, the report presents the perspective on domestic violence as discussed by select Muslims in Johannesburg. It interrogates the notion of the public and private, of honour and shame versus security, and investigates the avenues of escape available to women. The respondents argue that while intimate family violence is a general social problem, it occurs in Muslim homes to a lesser extent. They refer to the writings of the Prophet Muhammad, his life and personal conduct, in order to show that domestic violence is not allowed in Islam. However, the older men and women respondents both directly and indirectly blame women for the abuse they endure. This victim-blaming resides within a strongly patriarchal bias that creates the idea that men are the protectors and representatives of the family in the public realm and inevitably justifies domestic violence. The younger cohort provided a somewhat less rigid set of perspectives that were less judgemental in nature. The distinction made between the public and private realms proved to be an important one in defining the status and roles of women and men, and in shaping what could be disclosed in public and what should remain private. Honour proved to be a central precept in the significance of privacy. In Islamic culture, the private sphere is associated with honour and if what is meant to be private is made public, this idea of honour is breached and the family suffers humiliation. But the women bear the brunt of the blame. Thus, the debate about honour in Muslim culture and Islamic precepts of what is right and wrong is critical in bringing the issue of domestic violence to the fore as a violation of women’s rights on the one hand, and Islamic dogma on the other. The resolution of this conflict is important in determining the role of the Jamiat and Muslim congregations in offering mechanisms of support for abused women and avenues of escape from the abuse. However, these mechanisms and avenues will only work if what is meant to be ‘a private matter’ is no longer made an issue of honour in Muslim communities / MT2017

Thesis (DPhil (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Domestic violence is a serious social problem, both in Southern Africa, as well as globally. From March 2003 to February 2004 a total of 27 071 men and women were assisted by Mosaic to apply for Interim Protection Orders (IPO), in the domestic violence sections of eleven Magistrates’ Courts in the Western Cape in South Africa. Mosaic is a nongovernmental organisation and provides free support services to all victims of domestic violence. The IPO, which is the practical tool and legal document of the South African Domestic Violence Act 116 of 1998, is issued by a Magistrate’s Court. It is supposed to protect victims from physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, verbal and/or economic abuse, harassment, intimidation, stalking, damage to and entering of their property without their consent, in the interim period before a Final Protection Order is granted. The primary objectives of this study are to determine the impact of an IPO on the nature and the extent of domestic violence, the impact of an IPO on the general well-being of the victims of domestic violence and the efficiency of the application procedure for an IPO. The secondary objectives are to compile a profile of the victims of domestic violence in different cultural groups, to describe and compare the nature and the extent of domestic violence in different cultural groups, to review the role of the police in the implementation of an IPO, to make recommendations where applicable, and to inform the South African Government and policy makers of the findings of this study. An extensive literature study focusing on domestic violence, general well-being and the link between the two concepts provides the theoretical basis of the study. The empirical study confirms the link between domestic violence and general well-being. A quasi-experimental research design is used in this study. The study comprises two groups, namely an experimental group (N=884) and a control group (N=125). The control group, which appears similar to the experimental group (in the sense that they also experienced domestic violence) is drawn from the same communities as the experimental group. Both groups were pre-tested (completed a first set of questionnaires). The experimental group was exposed to a treatment (the application for and granting of an IPO). Both groups were then post-tested (completed a second set of questionnaires). Two standardised questionnaires were used, namely The Abuse Disability Questionnaire (McNamara, 1999) and The Spiritual Health and Life-Orientation Measure (Gomez & Fisher, 2003). Participants in the experimental and control groups experienced all forms of domestic violence as described in the Domestic Violence Act 116 of 1998 (RSA Government Gazette, 1998). Results indicated that the IPO did not contribute significantly to the reduction in total abuse exposure, physical abuse, psychological/emotional abuse or sexual abuse, as both the experimental and control groups experienced similar changes from the first to the second measurements. The IPO was found to contribute significantly to a reduction in total impairment. On a physical level, the IPO contributes significantly to the reduction of health status issues. On a psychological level, it contributes significantly to the reduction of concern with physical harm, psychological dysfunction, life restriction and inadequate life control. On a social level, the IPO contributes significantly to a decrease in relationship disability. The IPO does not contribute to a reduction in anxiety and substance abuse as participants in both the experimental and control groups experienced similar changes from the first to the second measurements. The IPO does not contribute significantly to an increase in the personal, communal, environmental and transcendental well-being of participants in the experimental group as participants in both the experimental and control groups experienced similar changes from the first to the second measurements. “Breaking the silence” and awareness of support had a similarly positive impact on domestic violence in the control group, as did the IPO in the experimental group. This indicates that it is not only the IPO, by itself, which has a positive impact on the victims of domestic violence. There are shortcomings in the IPO and Interim Warrant of Arrest that need to be addressed. Improving the information, education and support structures, both in the courts and in the community, will empower the victims of domestic violence. Although the present research was conducted in metropolitan areas in the Western Cape in South Africa, improvements in the system that result from it will benefit all communities. The key findings of this study have already been channelled to representatives of the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, the National Prosecuting Authority, the Lower Court Judiciary, Non-Governmental Organisations, South African Police Service, policy makers and other interested parties. Avenues for future research have also been opened.

Breve / Breve

Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-01T18:08:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 cirlene_francisca_sales_silva.pdf: 35058928 bytes, checksum: dda4c56fe02579c8a7f79c0012b18c30 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-02-18 / Breve / Breve

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Violence against women, commonly known as women abuse, is currently evolving into a serious social problem. In South Africa thousands of women are victims of violence inflicted by their intimate partners. Although violence against women is a serious violation of human rights, it is often not recognised as such. Violence against women in intimate relationships often results in women experiencing serious physical, psychological and reproductive health problems. When living or trapped in abusive relationships, women are exposed to injuries, ailments and diseases, wounds, chronic pain, infertility and internal bleeding. In spite of the fact that governments, including the South Africa government, have committed themselves to addressing women abuse through legislation, large numbers of women still experience extraordinary high levels of violence. However, many women neglect to report incidents of violence. Many women remain in such relationships, legislation aimed at protecting their rights not withstanding. The aim of this study was to explore why women neglect to report incidents of violence and to explore women's experiences of violence. Seven coloured women between the ages of 21 and 38 years and living in a small rural town in the Western Cape participated in the study. In-depth interviews were used to obtain information from these women. The extent of the problem of women abuse worldwide and in South Africa is illustrated by research conducted internationally as well as locally. Radical feminism is used as a theoretical framework to interpret the causes of women abuse, the 'acceptance' of women abuse by the community and society and the reasons why women choose not to report incidents of abuse. The analysis and the interpretation of the data is done against the background of social practices embedded in the patriarchal structuring of society. It was found that women's experiences and lives are predominantly structured in terms of their sex and that women comply with expectations set by their intimate partners, family and friends. In order to maintain their relationships, secure a household income and to protect their children against poverty, women remain silent about the abuse they suffer. The study also found that women's responses to abuse relate to the sources and options available to them. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geweld teen vroue wat algemeen bekend staan as vrouernishandeling, is tans besig om in 'n ernstige sosiale probleem te ontwikkel. Binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks is duisende vroue die slagoffers van geweld binne intieme verhoudings. Alhoewel vrouernishandeling 'n ernstige skending van menseregte is, word dit nie altyd as sodanig erken nie. Mishandeling binne intieme verhoudings lê dikwels ten grondslag van vroue se fisiese, sielkundige en reproduktiewe gesondheidsprobleme. Vroue wat vasgevang is in sulke verhoudings word blootgestel aan beserings, kwale en siektes, wonde, kroniese pyn, onvrugbaarheid en interne bloeding. Ten spyte van die feit dat verskeie lande se regenngs, insluitende Suid-Afrika, hulself verbind het tot 'n stryd teen vrouernishandeling met behulp van wetgewing, ervaar groot getalle vroue wêreldwyd nog steeds buitengewone vlakke van geweld. Baie vroue versuim egter om insidente van mishandeling te rapporteer. Baie vroue bly in intieme verhoudings ten spyte daarvan dat wetgewing wat gerig is op die beskerming van hul regte in plek is. Die doel van hierdie studie was dus om vas te stel waarom vroue versuim om insidente van mishandeling te rapporteer en om insig te verkry in die ervaringswêreld van mishandelde vroue. Sewe Kleurling vroue tussen die ouderdomme van 21 en 38 jaar en woonagtig in 'n klein plattelandse dorpie in die Wes-Kaap het aan die studie deelgeneem. 'n Kwalitatiewe benadering is gevolg en data is met behulp van in-diepte onderhoude ingesamel. Die omvang van vrouernishandeling wêreldwyd en binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks word geïllustreer aan die hand van internasionale en plaaslike navorsing oor die verskynsel. Radikale feminisme word as teoretiese vertrekpunt geneem in die interpretasie van die oorsake van vroumishandeling, die 'aanvaarding' van die verskynsel deur die gemeenskap en samelewing en die redes waarom vroue nie insidente van geweld rapporteer nie. Die analise en interpretasie van data is gedoen teen die agtergrond van sosiale praktyke binne die konteks van patriargale strukturering van die samelewing. Die studie bevind dat vroue se ervarings grootliks gestruktureer word in terme van hul geslag en dat hulle hul gedrag in ooreenstemming bring met die verwagtings van hul intieme maats, vriende en familie. Ten einde hulle verhoudings in stand te hou, 'n huishoudelike inkomste te verseker en hul kinders teen armoede te beskerm, besluit vroue om 'n stilswye rondom hul mishandeling te handhaaf. Die studie toon dat vroue se response verband hou met die bronne en opsies wat tot hul beskikking is.