The qualitative study into husband abuse that was undertaken was descriptive and exploratory in design. The eleven research participants, who were obtained through purposive sampling techniques, were men in heterosexual marriages, all living within the greater Durban area. The purpose of the study was to obtain insights into the experiences of abused husbands. More specifically the study aimed to develop insights into the types of abuse experienced, the effects of the abuse on the victims, how the victims have coped with the abuse, why they have remained in the abusive marriages, the services accessed by victims and their evaluation thereof and finally what services they considered essential for abused husbands. The sample size has limited the generalisability of the findings of the study to the larger population. The research study was however, successful in fulfilling its objectives and providing insights into a relatively unexplored area of study in South Africa. The results of the study have shown that the participants experienced all forms of abuse. The effects of the abuse included a decreased work performance, a diminished self-esteem, and several negative effects on the marital relationship. The abused men in the study have coped largely through the support and encouragement of family and friends and their religious beliefs. The participants' major reasons for wanting to remain in the marriage included anti-divorce beliefs, hope that the relationship would improve over time and concerns regarding the well being of their children. Participants accessed various sources of help in an attempt to qeal with the abuse. These included the criminal justice system, family and friends, religious and/or cultural leaders and social welfare agencies. Family members were rated as having been the most helpful source of help accessed, while the participants regarded the criminal justice system as having been the most ineffective, unhelpful and biased source accessed. One of the strongest themes that emerged from the study was all social services and laws were geared towards assisting women, while the men felt marginalised and discriminated. The study participants recommended that existing services available to abused women is extended to abused husbands as well, in order to holistically address the issue of domestic violence plaguing our society. A further recommendation from the study was that the Domestic Violence Act of 1998, which theoretically offers protection to all victims of domestic violence, needed to be practically available to abused men. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

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Thesis (Psy. D.)--Wheaton College, 2001. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 42-46).

Thesis (Psy. D.)--Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL, 2001. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 42-46).

Thesis (Psy. D.)--Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL, 2001. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 42-46).

Within the last few decades, many of the efforts aimed at preventing domestic violence and helping victims have focused on violence against women. In fact, in social and legal venues, domestic violence is often exclusively considered a women's issue. However, domestic violence, particularly intimate partner violence, does not discriminate on any basis, including gender. This research focuses on male victims of domestic violence in order to show that domestic violence is a human issue, not a gender issue. Only when all victims of violent crime are acknowledged and treated fairly can society begin to solve the problem of domestic violence victimization. The intent of this thesis is to explore the incidence of victimization, the legal and societal representations, and legal treatment of male victims of intimate partner violence. Through the analysis of case law and statutes, quantitative statistics, domestic violence resources, popular culture, and anecdotal evidence, this thesis evaluates the treatment of male victims of intimate partner violence in the legal system. Evidence shows that gender bias exists and can affect battered men in numerous ways. Male petitioners seeking protective injunctions, prosecution of their violent partners, and resources, such as treatment, counseling, or shelter, often face discrimination against men. By raising awareness to domestic violence committed against men, this thesis aims to contribute not only to the legal discipline but also to solving the domestic violence epidemic in society-against all people.

Although researchers have studied perceptions regarding sexually abused children, little was known about how other types of abusive events were perceived. This study examined 480 college students' abuse history and perceptions of child, spousal, and elder abuse by varying the respondent, victim, and perpetrator genders. Physical abuse, psychological abuse, and neglect were investigated. Perceptions of abusiveness, seriousness, harm, and responsibility were examined, along with the extent of identification with the victims/perpetrators. Participants viewed spousal abuse as less serious and harmful than other abuse types, especially when perpetrated against a male or by a female. Although able to recognize psychological abuse, students did not fully understand what other abuse types entailed. Individuals also showed a considerable amount of blame toward victims. Results further demonstrated important findings about how ethnic identity/orientation, religious affiliation, and history of abuse related to perceptions of abusive events.

Thesis (DPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This dissertation looks at husbands as victims of family violence at the hands of their spouses. Four white Afrikaans speaking persons from Pretoria were interviewed in case studies focusing on the problem of husband abuse. During the interviews use was made of an interview schedule based on contemporary theoretical explanations for the phenomenon. Three of the participants were white males who elaborated on their own experiences as victims of marital violence. A fourth participant was a white female who elaborated on her father’s experiences as a victim of marital violence. The taped recordings of the interviews were transcribed and a data set developed by using AtlasTi. The data set was used to construct the social worlds of men as victims of marital violence by focusing on eight categories: definitions of violence, frequency of violence, causes of violence, violent insidents, effects of violence, disintegration of the relationship, remaining in a violent relationship and men and women’s propensity for violence. The data set was further used to examine the contemporary theoretical explanations for family violence at the micro, meso and macro levels. Regarding the micro level constructs, there seems to be application value for the psychobiological and psychodynamic perspectives. The victim theory does not seem to have much apllication value. With regard to the meso level constructs, it seems as if stress theory and traumatic bonding theory, exchange/social control theory and social learning theory may be useful in explaining marital violence. Power theory and resource theory, in an amended form, may also be of value. The application of conflict theory seems problematic since it is not clear whether violence leads to isolation or vice versa. Regarding the macro level analysis, it seems as though the culture of violence theory and the subculture of violence theory have strong application value. General systems theory is difficult to apply, but theoretically specific questions to the participants brought to light that support networks for male victims are inadequate or even absent. The patriarchal feminist theory seems to have no apllication value seeing that three of the main assumptions of this theory collapsed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie proefskrif kyk na getroude mans as slagoffers van gesinsgeweld aan die hand van hul vroue. Onderhoude is gevoer met vier wit Afrikaanssprekende persone van Pretoria in gevallestudies met die fokus op die probleem van eggenoot-misbruik. Gedurende die onderhoude is gebruik gemaak van ‘n onderhoudskedule wat gebaseer is op kontemporêre teoretiese verduidelikings vir die verskynsel. Drie van die deelnemers was blanke mans wat uitgebrei het oor hul eie ervarings as slagoffers van huweliksgeweld. ‘n Vierde deelnemer was ‘n blanke vrou wat uitgebrei het op haar vader se ondervindings van huweliksgeweld. Die bandopnames van die onderhoude is getranskribeer en ‘n datastel ontwikkel deur gebruik te maak van AtlasTi. Die datastel is gebruik om die sosiale wêrelde van mans, as slagoffers van huweliksgeweld, te konstrueer deur te fokus op agt kategorieë: geweldsomskrywings, geweldsfrekwensie, geweldsoorsake, geweldsinsidente, geweldseffek, verhoudingsdisintegrasie, aanbly in die geweldsverhouding en mans en vroue se geneigdheid tot geweld. Die data is verder gebruik om die kontemporêre teoretiese verduidelikings vir gesinsgeweld op die mikro-, meso- en makrovlakke mee te eksamineer. Onder die mikrovlak-konstrukte skyn daar sterk toepassingsmoontlikhede te wees vtr die psigo-biologiese en psigodinamiese perspektiewe. Die blameer-die -slagoffer-perspektief skyn nie veel toepassingswaarde te hê nie. Onder die mesovlak-konstrukte blyk stresteorie en traumatiese bindingsteorie, ruil-/sosiale beheerteorie en sosiale leerteorie bruikbaar te wees in die verklaring van huweliksgeweld. Magsteorie en hulpbronteorie kan ook van waarde wees. Die toepassing van konflikteorie skyn problematies te wees, want dit is nie seker of die geweld lei tot isolasie van die gesin of omgekeerd nie. Wat die makrovlak-konstrukte aanbetref blyk geweldskultuurteorie en die subkultuur van geweldsteorie ook sterk toepassingsmoontlikhede te hê. Algemene sisteemteorie is moeilik toepasbaar, maar teoreties-spesifieke vrae aan die deelnemers het aan die lig gebring dat ondersteuningsnetwerke vir manslagoffers gebrekkig of selfs afwesig is. Die patriargale feministiese teorie skyn geen toepassingswaarde te hê nie aangesien die drie hoofaannames van hierdie teorie platval.