The genocide of April 1994 left the Rwandan society completely ruined and the survivors totally disoriented with numerous problems ranging from material deprivation to bodily and psychological injuries. As in other conflicts, especially in Africa, women and children were the most affected by the Rwandan genocide; consequently Rwanda has a sizeable number of widows and orphans. After the genocide, Rwanda witnessed an influx of many non-governmental organizations, which came with the aim to help the Rwandans in general, and genocide survivors in particular, as part of a program to put the Rwandan society back on its feet. Rwanda claims to be overwhelmingly a Christian nation, which theoretically gives the Christian community in Rwanda a prominent hand in all efforts of rebuilding the Rwandan society. This work therefore, is a Case Study, which seeks to investigate the role of Christian Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in responding to the needs of genocide widows residing in Kigali-Ville province-Rwanda. The study thus aims to assess efforts of the above-cited Christian NGOs and highlights their success and shortcomings in the light of a Christian model of understanding and responding to human needs. The investigation also surveys the background to the genocide. It focuses on the interpretation of the history of the people of Rwanda, the role impact of the colonial rule and Christian missionaries, and the role of the civil war of early 1990s. The study also investigates the plight of genocide widows from fives angles: economic loss, personal and social relationships, bodily injuries, psychological damage and spiritual welfare. The assessment was carried out through the analysis of the data collected mainly from selected Christian NGOs, genocide widows, churches, and written materials. The paradigm used to critically analyze the response of Christian NGOs has stemmed out of a body of literature that focuses on Christian response to human need, with particular emphasis on the distinctiveness of the Rwandan context. The findings, conclusion, recommendations of this study are of cardinal significance not only to Christian NGOs operating in Kigali-Ville province but also to other groups involved in the ministry to the needy in other parts of Rwanda and beyond her boundaries. / Thesis (M.Th.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.

Introduction: Social networks have shown promise in curbing drug dependency and infectious diseases among marginalized populations. The purpose of this study is to elucidate how relationship strength in social networks is associated with risk behaviours for infectious diseases. Methods: Two reviews were conducted: 1) a systematic review exploring the association between risk behaviours and relationship strength 2) a review on the utilization of respondent driven sampling (RDS). We also analyzed network data to determine the association between recent injection drug use and recent crack use. Results: Our reviews revealed that few studies link relationship strength and risk behaviours; moreover, RDS is effective method of sampling from marginalized populations. Finally, our analysis demonstrated that close relationships are associated with drug use. Conclusion: “Close” relationships are important in arbitrating injection drug use and crack smoking. More research addressing the issues of using data from dynamic social processes and hard-to-reach populations is needed.

The reasons why African women become engaged in sex work have received little attention in academic research. While it is largely acknowledged that there exists a connection between entering the sex trade and poverty, not all women who are poor enter sex work. Through the use of life histories with 21 women between the ages of 18 and 42, this thesis explores the combination of factors that lead women and girls to become commercial sex workers in Nairobi, Kenya. This method provides a detailed look at initiation into sex work as it occurs over the life course for women and girls in this context. Additionally, this thesis examines how structural violence impinges on their lives, thereby increasing vulnerability to engagement in sex work. Examining the larger socio-political and economic contexts illustrates how issues such as HIV/AIDS, migrant labour, changing gender roles, the erosion of existing familial structures and gender inequities structure risk for suffering for women. These issues result in many girls losing caregiver support by being orphaned, while additionally, women are burdened with providing total economic and social support for the family in a society that has gendered economic opportunities. Both girls and women are left with few options other than the sex trade to survive.

The dissertation analyzes obstacles and potential in democracies, specifically Canada, Sweden, and United States, to effectively address empirically documented harms of pornography. Legislative and judicial challenges under different democratic and legal frameworks are compared. Adopting a problem-driven theoretical approach, the reality of pornography’s harms is analyzed. Evidence shows its production exploits existing inequalities among persons typically drawn from other forms of prostitution who suffer multiple disadvantages, such as extreme poverty, childhood sexual abuse, and race and gender discrimination, making survival alternatives remote. Consumption is also divided by sex. A majority of young adult men consumes pornography frequently; women rarely do, usually not unless initiated by others. After consumption, studies show many normal men become substantially more sexually aggressive and increasingly trivialize and support violence against women. Vulnerable populations—including battered, raped, or prostituted women—are most harmed as a result. The impact of attempts to address pornography’s harms on democratic rights and freedoms, specifically gender equality and speech, is explored through the case studies. Democracies are found to provide more favorable conditions for legal challenges to pornography’s harms when recognizing substantive (not formal) equality in law, and when promoting representation of perspectives and interests of groups particularly injured by pornography. State-implemented approaches such as criminal obscenity laws are found less effective. More victim-centered and survivor-initiated civil rights approaches would be more responsive and remedial—a finding with implications for other politico-legal problems, such as global warming, that disproportionately affect disadvantaged populations traditionally largely excluded from decision-making.

L’Església catòlica baixmedieval, va aplicar la reforma que havia de regular la moral dels fidels centrant el seu control en les qüestions relatives a la moral sexual (segle XIV) a la diòcesi de Barcelona. Aquesta tesi explica els mecanismes d’aquest control i recull el que visites pastorals i processos episcopals expliquen sobre l’intent de regular les formes d’unió de parella i conductes com l’adulteri, l’incest, la prostitució i molt particularment, el concubinat del clergat. Sosté que, en posar en marxa aquests mecanismes de control, l’Església partia d’una posició de desconfiança, -o de temor-, envers la dona, que portà a un control ferri de la sexualitat dels feligresos en general i dels clergues en especial. Els esforços de reforma dels costums morals van tenir èxit divers, que van abocar en una conseqüència, potser no conscientment volguda, però real: la definició d’una imatge de la dona perillosa, la bruixa, que calia combatre. / Medieval Catholic Church attempted to reform the moral of its members by focusing on aspects related to sexual morality in the 14th C in Barcelona. This thesis explains the mechanisms of such control and compiles the information that pastoral visits and Episcopal trials provide about the attempts to regulate sexual relationship behaviors and conducts, such as: adultery, incest, prostitution and specially Clergy’s concubinage. This thesis supports the statement that when these mechanisms for control were activated by the Catholic Church, they stemmed from distrust –or suspicion- towards women. Such position led to a fierce control of sexual behavior for all Catholic Church members and particularly the Clergy. The efforts made to reform moral behavior had different effects on issues addressed. However, the real consequence –which might not have been deliberate- was the image definition of a dangerous woman, and fighting the Witch.

Background: Prostitution has been documented in most societies, although the context in which it occurs may vary greatly. In Queensland, Australia, sex workers can operate from legal brothels or privately but all other sectors of the sex industry are prohibited. It is assumed that regulation of the sex industry through legalization leads to better health and social outcomes for sex workers and their clients. However, this assumption has rarely been subjected to empirical scrutiny. Aims: This research examined the occupational health and safety of female sex workers in Queensland and explored the relationship between legislative change, workplace violence, mental health and job satisfaction. Sex workers interviewed in 2003 (after legalisation) were compared to a prior study of this population conducted in 1991 (before official regulation of the sex industry). Further, in-depth analysis of the 2003 cohort compared sex workers employed in legal and illegal sectors, to assess violence, health status and job satisfaction. Methods: Cross-sectional, convenience sampling was used to collect data from female sex workers in 2003. This data was compared with data collected earlier (in 1991) and explored differences in the two samples using bivariate analysis. Similar recruitment strategies on both occasions were used to recruit women from all known sectors of the Queensland sex industry. The 1991 comparison sample (Boyle et al. 1997) included 200 women (aged between 16 and 46 years), and in 2003, 247 women (aged 18 to 57) participated. The 2003 sample included workers from legal brothels (n=102), private sole-operators (n=103) and illegal street-based sex workers (n=42). Using data collected in 2003, this study assessed the relationship between physical and mental health and job satisfaction and two main independent variables, i.e., current work sector and recent workplace violence. Bivariate analysis of physical health and independent variables showed no significant relationships and therefore further analysis was not undertaken. However, analysis of mental health and job satisfaction showed complex interactions between multiple variables and therefore linear modeling was performed to adjust for confounding. Results: Analysis of the 1991 and 2003 samples showed little apparent change over time in self-reported sexually transmitted infections (STIs). There were substantial changes over time in the types of sexual services being provided to clients, with the 2003 sample more likely to provide 'exotic' services. Violence experienced ever in their lifetime differed; in 1991, 29% reported having ever been raped compared with 42% in 2003 (p= &lt0.01). In 2003, 50% of illegal sex workers reported having ever been raped by a client compared with 12% of private sex workers and 3% of brothel-based sex workers (p=&lt0.01). Overall, the sex workers reported roughly equivalent job satisfaction to Australian women. A desire to leave the sex industry was most strongly correlated with reduced job satisfaction (p=&lt0.01). Satisfaction was also relatively low among those whose family was not aware of their sex work (p=&lt0.01). Similarly, the mental and physical health of this sample was comparable to age-matched women from the general population. Wanting to leave the sex industry was most strongly associated with poor mental health (p=&lt0.01), as was recent sexual or physical assault by a client (p=0.06) and the woman's main work sector (p=0.05). Illegal sex workers reported substantially lower mental health scores than their counterparts in legal sex work. Conclusions: Self-reported STI diagnosis was high in these samples but the prevalence appears not to have changed over time. Comparing 2003 to 1991, there were trends towards safer and more diverse sexual practices. It is likely the sex industry has 'professionalized' and now includes more sex workers providing specialist, 'exotic' services. This sample of female sex workers reported high rates of violence, with those working illegally at greatest risk. Analysis suggests a complex interaction between variables contributing to mental health and job satisfaction. In general, it appears that the majority of sex workers enjoyed at least as much job satisfaction as women working in other occupations. It also appears that this sample had equivalent mental health to women from the general population, although the sub-group of illegal workers generally had poorer health. Job satisfaction and the extent of workplace hazards (especially risk of violence) were also strongly associated with different sectors of the sex industry. It is probable that legalisation has benefited some (perhaps most) but there are health and safety concerns for those outside the legal framework. Legislative reform should focus on violence prevention, promoting reporting of violent events to police, and further exploration of the impact of legislation on the health of workers in the sex industry.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--State University of New York at Binghamton, Department of History, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 312-336).

The reasons why African women become engaged in sex work have received little attention in academic research. While it is largely acknowledged that there exists a connection between entering the sex trade and poverty, not all women who are poor enter sex work. Through the use of life histories with 21 women between the ages of 18 and 42, this thesis explores the combination of factors that lead women and girls to become commercial sex workers in Nairobi, Kenya. This method provides a detailed look at initiation into sex work as it occurs over the life course for women and girls in this context. Additionally, this thesis examines how structural violence impinges on their lives, thereby increasing vulnerability to engagement in sex work. Examining the larger socio-political and economic contexts illustrates how issues such as HIV/AIDS, migrant labour, changing gender roles, the erosion of existing familial structures and gender inequities structure risk for suffering for women. These issues result in many girls losing caregiver support by being orphaned, while additionally, women are burdened with providing total economic and social support for the family in a society that has gendered economic opportunities. Both girls and women are left with few options other than the sex trade to survive.

SILVA, Lorena Brito da. Implicações psicossociais da violência nos modos de vida de prostitutas pobres. 2014. 169f. – Dissertação (Mestrado) – Universidade Federal do Ceará, Programa de Pós-graduação em Psicologia, Fortaleza (CE), 2014. / Submitted by Márcia Araújo (marcia_m_bezerra@yahoo.com.br) on 2014-10-20T17:37:45Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2014_dis_lbsilva.pdf: 2698258 bytes, checksum: ac91c03a3188050c07c49367e6635270 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Márcia Araújo(marcia_m_bezerra@yahoo.com.br) on 2014-10-22T13:40:30Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2014_dis_lbsilva.pdf: 2698258 bytes, checksum: ac91c03a3188050c07c49367e6635270 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-22T13:40:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2014_dis_lbsilva.pdf: 2698258 bytes, checksum: ac91c03a3188050c07c49367e6635270 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / This dissertation is result of the interest on studying female prostitution and violence, two polysemic and complex phenomena. Specifically, this relationship is being discussed in the context of low prostitution or low meretricious, which is characterized by a dialectical relationship between the experience of prostitution and the context of the street, powering a series of vulnerabilities and ways of socializing. The violence reflects the historical and private logic of silencing and reproduction although it occurs in public space, not existing specifically, as regards to violence against prostitutes, representatives informations on the country. The ways of life are a privileged scenario to study the psychosocial implications of violence, for revealing the symbolic and material conditions of production of subjectivities, of organization of life and relationships in areas of prostitution. In view of these issues, the research question arises as to the psychosocial implications of violence impact the way of life of prostitutes in situations of poverty? The general objective of the study is to understand the psychosocial implications of violence in the way of life for poor prostitutes. The specific objectives are: Describe the lifestyles of women exercising the low prostitution; Understand the meanings constructed on violence; Analyze ways to deal with violence built by prostitutes. The research is qualitative and has been developed with 7 women who live in Barra do Ceara, a neighbourhood in Fortaleza. The investigation had an ethnographic perspective, having performed as methodological procedures and data construction, participant observation, dialogical visit, the individual interview and the technique of generating objects. For data analysis was performed the Qualitative Analysis of Bardin, with the assistance of ATLAS.ti 5.2 software. The 57 analysis categories were organized into three broad categories entitled of "Ways of life of poor prostitutes", "Meanings about violence in prostitution", "Psychosocial expressions of violence in the way of life”. As main results, we notice that the dynamics of the low prostitution is engineered with the territorial dynamics, with the codes and rules of the prostitution area in constant dispute and agreement with the community. The violence is a relational web that seeks to prevent the recognition of the other (class, gender or ethnicity) using physical or symbolic force, undermining the possibilities of dialogue, on one hand, and creating other codes, forms of social interaction and performances, on the other. As main forms of facing are: analysis of the profile of the customer and the conditions for implementing the program, establishment a routine and a personal organization of work, participation in religious groups, partnership with specific bars or home, maintaining ties of partnership in the zone of prostitution. / Esta dissertação surge do interesse de estudar a prostituição feminina e a violência, dois fenômenos polissêmicos e complexos. Especificamente, essa relação está sendo abordada no contexto da baixa prostituição ou baixo meretrício, o qual é caracterizado por uma relação dialética entre a experiência da prostituição e o contexto da rua, potencializando uma série de vulnerabilidades e de modos de sociabilização. A violência reflete a lógica histórica e privada de silenciamento e reprodução ainda que ocorra em espaço público, não existindo, especificamente no que diz respeito à violência contra prostitutas, dados representativos no país. Os modos de vida são o cenário privilegiado para o estudo das implicações psicossociais da violência por revelarem as condições simbólicas e materiais de produção de subjetividades, de organização da vida e das relações nas zonas de prostituição. Diante dessas questões, surge como pergunta de pesquisa, como as implicações psicossociais da violência impactam no modo de vida das prostitutas em situação de pobreza? O objetivo geral do estudo é compreender as implicações psicossociais da violência no modo de vida de prostitutas pobres. Os objetivos específicos são: descrever os modos de vida de mulheres que exercem a baixa prostituição; compreender os sentidos construídos sobre a violência; analisar os modos de enfrentamento à violência construído pelas prostitutas. A pesquisa é de natureza qualitativa, tendo sido desenvolvida junto a sete mulheres que vivem e batalham na Barra do Ceará (Fortaleza). O caminho investigativo teve uma perspectiva etnográfica, tendo sido realizados como procedimentos metodológicos de construção de dados a observação participante, a visita dialógica, a entrevista individual e a técnica dos objetos geradores. Para análise de dados foi realizada a Análise de Conteúdo Temática proposta por Bardin, com o auxílio do software ATLAS.ti 5.2. As 57 categorias de análises encontras foram organizadas em três grandes categorias intituladas de “Modos de vida de prostitutas pobres”, “sentidos sobre violência na prostituição”, “expressões psicossociais da violência no modo de vida”. Como principais resultados, percebeu-se que a dinâmica da baixa prostituição está engendrada com a dinâmica territorial, estando os códigos e regras da zona de prostituição em constante disputa e acordo com a comunidade. A violência articula-se como uma teia relacional que acaba por impedir o reconhecimento do outro (classe, gênero ou etnia) mediante o uso da força física ou simbólica, minando as possibilidades de diálogo, por um lado, e criando outros códigos, formas de interação e performances sociais, por outro. Como principais modos de enfrentamento estão analisar o perfil do cliente e as condições para realização do programa, estabelecer uma rotina e uma organização pessoal de trabalho, participar de espaços e grupos religiosos, estar vinculada a casa ou bares específicos, manter laços de parceria na zona de prostituição.

The work deals with exegetic-ethical analysis of sexual motives in the Pentateuch. It aims to analyse as well as to systematize the issue of human sexuality in the Five Books of Moses, and to create a compact illustration of the problem. The major part of the work includes an analysis of sexual motives in significant legal regulations - the Ten Commandments, the Covenant Code, the Holiness Code and the Deuteronomic Code. However, the other parts of the Pentateuch must not be left out of consideration and are covered in a separate chapter. The final part tries to synthesize the obtained findings and evaluate systematically the basic sexual questions appearing in the Five Books of Moses.