The aim of this thesis is to investigate mothers' use of violence towards their children. In particular it aims to discover what happens during violent incidents, to explain the occurrence of violence and to develop a model which assists in the understanding of violence in families. Four case studies are presented based on observations of mothers and children within a treatment centre and interviews with the mothers. Initial interviews were conducted concerning the background, relationships and attitudes of the mothers. Subsequent interviews to examine incidents of violence were conducted at the end of a day when such an incident may have occurred. For each dyad characteristic augmenting spirals of interaction are described which include violence towards the child. These spirals form the basis of a "spiral model of violence" which emphasises the role of both mother and child in maintaining violent interactions and the feedback each receives from the other. The other main components of this model are the dyad's appraisals of the situation and choices of action. Factors affecting these are described. Implications of the model for treatment are discussed with particular exmphasis on strategies aimed at altering, or widening the range of appraisals and actions of both participants.

Internationally violence persists as a complex problem for nurses. While it is widely accepted that nursing staff in any health care setting can be the target of violence, in high acuity areas such as Emergency Departments (ED) nurses have an increased risk of violence. There is limited Australian research into violence experienced by nurses in the Australian Health sector, in particular the rural and regional Australian ED. Greater understanding of the phenomena of violence towards ED nurses, as it is manifest in the ‘real world’ rural and regional Australian setting is needed to enable development of context specific solutions for this problem. This thesis presents a contextual, specialty nurses’ assessment of violence risk, strategies for violence prediction and management, and the sequelae for the nurse. The aims of this study were to: Explore and describe the contextual assessment skills and preventative strategies rural and regional ED nurses use to understand and predict violent events, where the agent of violence is the patient, their family or friends, and understand the nature and scope of the sequelae of work place violent events from the nurse’s perspective. A mixed method instrumental case study was used to generate both qualitative and boundary for inquiry, and a structured process within which the chosen methods were able to define ‘the case’ and answer the research question. This study was undertaken in 2005, at a regional Australian ED. Twenty (20) Registered Nurses were recruited into the study and consented to being observed. Textual qualitative data were generated from two hundred and ninety (290) hours of participant observation, sixteen (16) semi-structured interviews, thirteen (13) unstructured field interviews, and researcher journaling. In addition, sixteen (16) violent events were observed and recorded via a structured observation tool. Textual data were analysed thematically assisted by the qualitative data management and retrieval software NVivo2, and numeric data were analysed using frequency counts. The participants used their nursing knowledge(s), experience and context to assess their risk of violence. Embedded in the practice of these ED nurses was their ability to convey caring and respectfully approach all people presenting to ED. The participants’ caring respectful demeanour underpinned their understanding of violence prevention strategies. Using this violence prevention approach, they attributed contextual meaning(s) to the violent event and agent of violence. The meaning(s) they attributed in turn shaped their response(s) to both the violent event and the agent of violence. A high level of observable collegial awareness supported and fostered their resilience towards the potentially negative affects of violence in the workplace. The five themes revealed by this study were; Conveying caring: Averting violence: Being alert: Recognising, assessing and responding to violence: Attributing meaning: Subjective understandings that shape responses to Violence : Collegial awareness: Forming trusting relationships to help manage violence: Fostering resilience: resisting the negative sequelae of violence. Violence was interpreted by these ED nurses in a more systematic and complex way than the current definitions make possible. Violence assessment, prevention and management skills were embodied in the participant ED nurses’ routine practice and their conceptualisation of caring. The meanings given to violence were contextually constructed and these ascribed meaning(s) and judgments informed the actions that the nurses took in response to both the violent event and the agent of violence. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Thesis (M.A. (Human Rights))--Mahidol University, 2005. / LICL has E-Thesis 0007 ; please contact computer services.

This is a sociological essay, named Reshaping Samoan Relations – a study on the increasing reports and regarding violence against women in Samoa, written by Shahab Mirbabaei. The aim of this study was to explain the reason, or reasons, for the increasing reports of violence against women to the police and help-organizations in Samoa.The study was done in Samoa by conducting semi-structured interviews with women, from the rural and urban areas, and with workers from relevant organizations that are involved with questions regarding violence against women. The women were primarily asked for general Samoans changing views of gender, violence and trust for police and help-organizations. The workers were primarily asked for changes in the working process in their organization.The main theoretical choices were Outsiders, by Howard S. Becker, and Masculinities by R.W. Connell. These theories allowed this this study to capture all the important elements by offering a terminology that focuses on gender and deviance.The main results show that different organizations have created a new set of rules for the Samoan society, which in the same time has weakened the Fa’a Samoa system. With the help of awareness, these organizations have criminalized domestic violence towards women in Samoa and offered solutions to women to combat violent occurrences. The awareness has extended the possibilities of women in Samoan society, and allowed them to challenge the authority that upholds the hegemonic rule of men. This challenge is partly seen by the increasing number of women that work in the public, and by women combating the violent occurrences by reporting the matter to outside parties.

Este estudo buscou compreender a experiência das mulheres em situação de violência doméstica e familiar. A partir da clarificação desta questão central, buscou-se contribuir para a divulgação de meios jurídicos e jurisdicionais, melhorar a assistência integral à mulher vítima de violência doméstica na região leste do Município de São Paulo e viabilizar novas políticas públicas no tema violência contra a mulher. A opção foi pela pesquisa qualitativa, método etnográfico e conceitos da antropologia interpretativa. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida com oito mulheres, que vivenciaram situações de violência doméstica e/ou familiar e que tenham procurado auxílio no Centro de Cidadania da Mulher de Itaquera, localizado em São Paulo/SP. Adotou-se para a coleta de dados a observação participante e a entrevista semi-estruturada composta por questões norteadoras. Os dados foram apresentados na forma de narrativas. Os resultados se resumiram em seis categorias, agrupadas posteriormente em três grandes temas. A discussão teve seu eixo na violência simbólica descrita por Bourdieu. A violência simbólica fundamentada nas crenças sociais, caracterizada pela invisibilidade, por não enxergar, pela submissão encantada, vinculada a aceitação de um papel subalterno e passivo frente à uma força de dominação. O resultado deste estudo foi a expressão viva do sofrimento à recuperação, da baixa autoestima à reconstrução do eu, histórias de mulheres e sua experiência na violência vivida. / The present study seeks to analyze the experience of violence for the women on the domestic and familiar situation. Throughout the clarification of this central point, the present aims to contribute for the disclosure of the legal and jurisdictional procedures, to improve the assistance to the woman victim of domestic violence at the east region of Sao Paulo city and to create public politics regarding this field. The option was to accomplish the qualitative way of search, ethnography method and the concepts of interpretive anthropology. The was developed with eight woman who passed through situations of domestic and/or familiar violence and had gone to the assistance of the Centro de Cidadania da Mulher de Itaquera, located in São Paulo/SP. For this purpose, the method of participant observation has been applied to the data collection and guiding questions for the semi-structured interview. The data had been introduced as a form of narrative. The results of the present study resulted in six categories, subsequently grouped in three major themes. The discussion had its guide in the symbolic violence described by Bourdieu. The symbolic violence whose background was obtained from the social beliefs, characterized by invisibility, not by sight, by submission enchanted bound to accept a subordinate role and passive front of a force of domination. The result of this study is the live expression of live suffering to the recovery, of low self-esteem to the reconstruction of the self, histories of women and their experience in the violence experienced.

Investigar a questão da violência, particularizando para a chamada de violência doméstica contra a mulher, implica, inicialmente, em identificar como ela é definida e o que se observa, a começar pelo que traz o dicionário, que salienta três aspectos, falando da qualidade do que é violento, do ato violento em si, e do ato de violentar, que são muitos os ângulos pelos quais ela pode ser visualizada. É possível adotar como siginificado mais geral do termo que se trata de uma ação que evidencia brutalidade, abuso, agressão, constrangimento e desrespeito para com uma outra pessoa. De outro lado, por se ter um objetivo de pesquisa empírica, torna-se necessário que se contextualize e delimite a abordagem do estudo. A literatura tem mostrado que são muitas as transformações ocorridas na estrutura das relações familiares, no vínculo conjugal, nos padrões de comportamentos e relacionamento entre os sexos; contudo, essas mudanças parecem ter alterado pouco o problema da violência doméstica contra a mulher, que dispõe, na atualidade, de maior visibilidade, mas que ainda está longe de uma compreensão mais clara e aprofundada da questão, o que justifica sejam feitas novas investigações. Essa pesquisa tem, assim, como objetivo geral, analisar desde a frequência de ocorrência de denúncia de violência contra a mulher, em Delegacia de Defesa da Mulher (DDM), em dois anos seguidos, em cidade de grande porte, até as variáveis relacionadas ao perfil da vítima, do agressor, do relacionamento mantido pelos casais, razões do não seguimento do processo; esta é, portanto, quantitativa e de cunho descritivo, tem por base documentos em que está registrada a visão das mulheres que vivenciaram violência doméstica por parte de seu marido/companheiro e a registraram na DDM de Goiânia, noa anos de 1999 e 2000. Os dados mostram que é alta a frequência tanto da Lesão Corporal quanto da Ameaça (1999 = 885; 2000 = 1833), bem como que há um aumento siginificativo de um ano para outro, o que corrobora com o encontrado na literatura. Os resultados mostram que as vítimas têm idade que varia de 15 a 55 anos, estão em união consensual (57,6%) ou legal (42,4%), cerca de 60% exerce atividade remunerada e na maioria das vezes é ela própria quem faz a denúncia; por outro lado, há um número elevado de mulheres que relatam que a violência ocorre há bastante tempo, bem como de que já denunciaram em outros momentos, voltanto atrás por razões avariadas, que incluem até promessas de mudança de comportamento do marido/companheiro A discussão dos dados centra-se no levantamento de possíveis interpretações quer para o aumento da violência doméstica, salientando as questões ligadas à ampla distribuição etária das vítimas, indicando um fenômeno que perdura, às diferenças na educação do homem e da mulher e o poder que é, em geral, atribuído a ele, à escolaridade e à oportunidade de obtenção de trabalho para cada um dos sexos e finalmente, quais fatores poderiam ser os responsáveis pelo fato de que a grande maioria das mulheres vítimas de violência doméstica, que fazem a denúncia, logo a seguir desistem dela, retirando sua queixa, voltando para a casa e vendo, depois de algum tempo, a situação de violência ser reiniciada, o que levanta a pergunta sobre qual seria, em verdade, a sua expectativa em relação à atuação da DDM. / This research has as objectives investigate the issue of violence, specifically the domestic violence against women. This investigation implies in identifying how violence is defined and what is observed, beginning with what is mentioned in the dictionary, which emphasizes three aspects: the quality of what is violent, the violent act itself and the act of violating - many are the point of views it is possible to glance from. It is possible to adopt the more general meaning of this concept, which is about an action that makes visible brutality, abuse, aggression, constraint and disrespect to another person. On the other hand, by having an objective of empirical research, it becomes necessary to bring into context and delimit the approach of this study. Literature has shown that many are the transformations that took place in the structure of the relations inside the family, in the conjugal bound, in the patterns of behavior and relationship between the genders. Although, all this changes seem to have altered very little the problem of domestic violence against women - which has more visibility nowadays, but still far from a clearer and deeper comprehension of this issue - what justifies that more investigations to be done. This research has as general objective analyze since the frequency of denounces of violence against women registered in police station specialized in defense of women (DDM) in the period of two years in a city of big size, until the variables connected to the features of the victims, the aggressor, the relation kept between the couples, the reasons of not following the lawsuit. The present research has a qualitative and descriptive approach, is based documents in which is registered the point of view of women who have gone through domestic violence perpetrated by husband/mate and pressed charges in the DDM of Goiânia in the years of 1999 and 2000. Data show that the frequency is high both for Corporal Damage and Threaten (1999 - 885; 2000 - 1833) and that there is an expressive increase from the first year to the following - which corroborates what, was found in the literature. Results show that the victims has age from 15 to 55 years, being in non-legalized unions (57,6%) ou civil marriage (42,4%), nearly 60% work in paid activities, and in most of times it is the woman herself who makes the denounce. On the other hand, there are a high number of women who mention that the violence has been occurring for a long time, and the they had already denounced in the past, changing their minds for various reasons, including until promises of change of behavior made by the husband/mate. The discussion of the data collected focuses in the survey of possible interpretations for the increase of domestic violence, emphasizing the issues connected to the wide age distribution of the victims, pointing to a phenomena that remains, despite the differences in the education of man and woman and the power which is imputed to him, the scholarship and opportunity of getting a job for each gender and finally, which factors may be the reasons of the fact that most part of women, who are victim of domestic violence, that press charges, in little time give up and quit it, going back home and seeing, in little time, the situation of violence begin once again, what makes the question of what would be the true expectation towards the actuation of the DDM.

D.Litt. et Phil. / Ewing (1997) states that battered women who kill intimate male partners have not been the subject of much systematic research. In fact, Wilbanks (in Adinkrah, 2000) laments the lack of a systematic description of the patterns and trends of homicide by women. Furthermore, as with most studies of crime, the majority of the emerging research on women and lethal crime has focused on the United States and Great Britain (Adinkrah, 2000). There has been relatively little research directed towards the study of female homicide in small, third world countries. Research on women and intimate partner homicide in developing countries is sorely needed if criminal justice professionals are to realise the quest to understand homicide more fully and to formulate a conceptually broad and cross culturally valid theory of female homicide (Adinkrah, 2000). Furthermore, violence against women is a devastating social problem which commonly occurs in developing societies where gender roles are strictly defined and enforced (Ogbuji, 2004). Domestic violence becomes even more of a social concern when it leads to intimate partner violence. Prior research conducted on homicide committed by women suggests that when a woman kills a male partner it is often in response to a pattern of physical abuse at the hands of their mates (Adinkrah, 2000). The purpose of this exploratory study was to add to the small but hopefully growing body of research on battered women incarcerated for killing a male intimate partner. The Department of Correctional Services indicates that there are currently 163 women imprisoned for killing a male intimate partner. Yet the psychological issues surrounding female murderers go largely unexplored (Dept. of Correctional Services, personal communication, September 6, 2002). The aims of the study were as follows: • To form a biographical profile of a typical woman who kills her male intimate partner in the context of an abusive relationship. • To form a personality profile of a typical literate woman who kills her male intimate partner in the context of an abusive relationship. • To form a literacy profile of the typical literate abused woman who kills an intimate male partner in the context of an abusive relationship. • To compare women who employ a third party to commit the murder with women who commit the murder themselves in order to identify any significant differences between the two groups on either a contextual or personality level. • To formulate possible guidelines for a rehabilitation program suited to this group of women. • Finally, to describe two participants’ unique narratives to informally highlight possible themes as well as add context and depth to the quantitative findings of the study.

D.Litt et Phil. / The present study employed an existential phenomenological research method in order to explore the experience of violence in adolescent girls. Five young women between the ages of 13 and 18 years, and from different ethnic groups and cultures participated in the study that was conducted in the area of Johannesburg, Gauteng. Participation was on a voluntary basis and followed a presentation on the issue of violence by the researcher to learners at various schools within the environs of Johannesburg. Only girls whose parents or caregivers gave consent were included in the study. A central research question was formulated and put as follows to each participant in a recorded interview: Tell me in as much detail and as honestly as possible about experiences of violence that have been most meaningful to you. Van Kaam’s (1969) method of analysing phenomenological data, which was employed for the study, revealed that violence took place predominantly in an interpersonal context, mainly within the confines of the home. It occurred mostly at the hands of persons known to the young women and the prime aggressors were male. Various forms of violence were experienced, including sexual violations and verbal, physical and emotional abuse. Exposure to domestic violence was a common experience. A number of themes were identified and explored from within the framework of a phenomenological approach that focused on the life-worlds of participants. Central themes included feelings of powerlessness, isolation, loss of life purpose and direction, and a sense of meaninglessness. Without exception all the participants had considered, or attempted, suicide as a result of their experiences. A life-span perspective directed attention towards the cultural and historical influences that underlie the violent experiences of adolescent girls. Feminist theory was utilised to further explore these influences and to examine the social construction of gendered power and violence in South Africa. The biological, psychological and social changes that characterise the adolescent stage of development were also considered. Participants’ descriptions of their experiences suggested that violence prevented them from satisfying relational needs and that this had consequences for the development of an identity. In particular, self-esteem was adversely affected and participants were unable to envisage a future role for themselves. Disturbances in peer relationships that are central to the development of adolescent girls, limited opportunities to benefit from more positive experiences in a social context. Heterosexual interactions were also negatively affected. The abstract thinking abilities that emerge in adolescence were discussed in the context of existential concerns and conflicts. The study indicated that when participants could become active in the design of their life, their actions were experienced as meaningful and restorative. This suggested the usefulness of an existential approach that emphasises the necessity of choice, an awareness of the possibilities of life, and an acceptance of the responsibility for bringing about change within the limitations of a person’s existence. The study recommends that this approach could be utilised in a group context where participants would also be given an opportunity to express themselves, to be heard and to experience a sense of community in interaction with their peers. It is suggested that in a school setting, the group could provide an accessible and affordable means of support, particularly in disadvantaged communities. Peer counselling is also advocated as a way of responding to the needs of young women who have had negative life experiences. Further research was encouraged in order to obtain a better appreciation of the ways in which adolescent girls understand their life-worlds and to explore what they deem to be of significance in those worlds. This would provide a basis for the structuring of interventions to assist young women in meeting the challenges that confront them in adolescence.

Magister Philosophiae - MPhil / The right for every woman to live free of violence is one of the basic human rights. Nevertheless, this right is still subject to violation on a massive and systematic scale around the world. At least one of three women around the world has reported been physical, sexual and emotional abuse by an intimate partner in her lifetime. Although, gender inequalities and discrimination are considered as the underlying factors of domestic violence, little is known about the contributions of the presence of sons and daughters at home, age, gender, education, marital status, working status, place of residence. Despite the fact that recommendations have been made both at the international and national levels to reduce intimate female abuse, the issue is still rampant in developing countries. The aim of this study was to identify and compare the impact of women’s socio-economic and demographic characteristics on domestic violence across seven countries (Cameroon, Ghana, Haiti, Liberia, Moldova, Nepal and Philippines). Frequencies and bivariate analyses were performed using the latest Demographic Health Surveys from 2005 to 2011. The findings established that on average 33.37 percent of women across the seven countries are abused. Domestic violence is a high concern in Cameroon. The educational level still remains a predicting factor of domestic violence across the countries under investigation except in Liberia. The number of living children was also identified as a predicting factor across the studied countries. Finally, a woman having a son or a daughter at home is more likely to expose the woman to intimate violence in Cameroon, Haiti, Moldova, Nepal and Philippines. All the countries are entrenched in a culture of male domination whereby women lack the freedom to decide on marital issues. As a recommendation, the government of each of the studied countries should be more proactive in reinforcing judicial system, policies and education that will help to curb the scourge of domestic violence. Furthermore, improving the level of literacy for women and educating men as the perpetrators of domestic violence will go a long way in abating this social ill.

Magister Public Health - MPH / The aim of this research was to describe the role of Community Health Workers, in the Mitanin Programme, in addressing social determinants of health in Chhattisgarh State of India, with the view to identify the pathways for strengthening and making recommendations on this aspect of the CHW’s work for existing or future CHW programmes. A comparative case study design using qualitative research methods was adopted for the study, with the sample comprising of two case studies of action on social determinants by CHWs. The definition of a case was ‘successful action by a CHW (Mitanin) or team of CHWs (Mitanins) on nutrition or violence against women in the village or cluster of villages for which the CHW/s are responsible’. The sampling of the cases followed the ‘replication logic’, that is, examination of similar cases to draw general lessons. Data collection was undertaken through In-depth Individual Interviews and Group Interviews with CHWs, community members and programme staff that participated with the CHWs in, and also benefitted from, their action on social determinants. Respondents were identified through a process of snowball sampling. Seventeen in-depth interviews and ten group interviews (total 27) were conducted as part of the study. A broad conceptual framework of the factors facilitating and constraining the action on social determinants by the CHWs, along with the pathways for action on social determinants by the CHWs, along with the pathways for action on social determinants by CHWs and their role, was developed at the start of the research. The analysis was done using this conceptual framework, which was refined during analysis, resulting in an explanatory framework. The analysis was two-fold. Firstly, both cases were analysed and written up separately and then they were analysed together in order to draw cross case conclusions. Thematic analysis was undertaken. Ethical Clearance was obtained from the UWC Senate Research Committee and permission was obtained from the State Health Resource Center, the body coordinating the Mitanin Programme in Chhattisgarh. A Participant Information Sheet and Informed consent forms for both the individual and the group interviews were prepared and administered. The form for the group interview included a confidentiality-binding clause. The study showed that the Mitanins in Durgkondal and Manendragarh (the Blocks under study) had effectively and successfully addressed the issues of nutrition and xvii violence against women as social determinants, in a manner visualized in the initial programme documents. Despite threats to the autonomy of the programme, pressures to formalise the Mitanin’s role, and backlash from vested interests, such action remained sustained, nearly ten years since the start of the programme.