Thesis (DPhil (Social Work))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This is an exploratory study on the perceptions and experiences of African women in violent partner relationships. The study was conducted in two phases at Ilitha Community Psychological Centre at Ezibeleni Township near Queenstown. Since this is a qualitative exploratory study, in-depth interviews were conducted with a sample of twenty women. In addition a focus group interview was also conducted with five women from the same site in order to gain a better insight into the phenomenon of violence in partner relationships. A literature review that focused on the existing literature concerning African women in violent partner relationships was conducted. African women’s perspectives on the experiences of abuse were explored, a gender perspective based on radical feminist views was discussed and ethnicsensitive empowerment needs and the role of the social service practitioners were investigated. The findings suggest that many African women experience violence in partner relationships. They sustain physical, emotional and economic abuse. A patriarchal system, alcohol abuse, infidelity and failure to support the children financially have been cited as some of the reasons for abuse. Formal and informal social networks assisted these women to some extent. However, there is need for an ethnic-sensitive interdisciplinary training approach and a legal system that is accessible to rural women to prevent further battery. Various recommendations have been postulated. The study indicated a need for ethnic-sensitive empowerment programmes for the abused women, rehabilitative programmes for these women and for the abusers, and an effective legal system to curb violence in partner relationships. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie, wat verkennend van aard is, handel oor die persepsies en ervaringe van Afrikavroue wat binne gewelddadige saamwoonverhoudings verkeer. Die studie is in twee fases by die Ilitha Community Psychological Centre en die Ezibeleniwoonbuurt naby Queenstown onderneem. Aangesien dit ’n kwalitatief-verkennende studie is, is diepgaande onderhoude met ’n eksperimentele groep van twintig vroue gevoer. Hierbenewens is fokusgroeponderhoude ook met vyf vroue van dieselfde buurt gevoer ten einde beter insig te verkry van die fenomeen van geweld binne saamwoonverhoudings. ’n Studie van relevante literatuur wat op bestaande literatuur ten opsigte van Afrika-vroue in gewelddadige saamwoonverhoudings betrekking het, is onderneem. Die perspektiewe van Afrika-vroue oor die wyse waarop hulle mishandeling ervaar, is verken. ’n Geslagsgebaseerde perspektief gebaseer op feministiese beskouinge is onderling bespreek en die behoefte aan etniessensitiewe bemagtigingsbehoeftes asook die rol van sosiale diensleweringspraktisyns het aandag geniet. Die bevindinge dui daarop dat ‘n groot aantal Afrika-vroue geweld binne saamwoonverhoudings ervaar. Hulle ondervind fisieke, emosionele en ekonomiese mishandeling. ’n Patriargale stelsel, alkoholmisbruik, ontrouheid, en gebrek aan geldelike versorging van die kinders binne die gesin, is genoem as sommige van die redes vir die mishandeling. Formele en informele netwerke het hierdie vroue in ’n sekere mate bygestaan. Daar bestaan egter ’n behoefte aan ’n etnies-sensitiewe interdissiplinêre opleidingsbenadering asook ’n regstelsel wat toeganklik is vir landelike vroue om verdere mishandeling te voorkom. Verskeie aanbevelings is gepostuleer. Die studie het aangetoon dat daar ’n behoefte bestaan aan etnies-sensitiewe bemagtigingsprogramme vir mishandelde vroue, rehabilitasieprogramme vir sodanige vroue asook vir diegene wat hulle mishandel, en ’n effektiewe regstelsel om geweld binne saamwoonverhoudings aan bande te lê.

Våld i nära relationer är ett allvarligt samhällsproblem som framför allt drabbar kvinnor och barn. Den vanligaste typen av våld som kvinnor drabbas av utförs av en gärningsman som kvinnan har en nära relation med. Denna litteraturstudie syftar till att undersöka vilka faktorer som ligger bakom kvinnans beslut att antingen stanna kvar i ett våldsamt förhållande eller att lämna det samt huruvida normaliseringen av våldet påverkar kvinnans beslut att bryta sig ur sin våldsamma relation och hur dessa kvinnor beskriver deras upplevelser av våldet som de utsätts för. Metoden för studien är en litteraturöversikt där vi valde att söka och analysera tretton vetenskapliga artiklar med både kvalitativ och kvantitativ ansats samt en blandning av dem. Denna litteraturöversikt har enbart koncentreras på myndiga kvinnor i heterosexuella förhållande som utsätts för våld av sina partner i hemmet. Det konstateras fyra stycken teman i resultatdelen som har påverkan på kvinnans beslut att stanna kvar i sitt våldsamma förhållande eller att lämna det, nämligen kvinnors rädsla och känslor av skam och skuld, kvinnors känslor och upplevelser av mannens beteende, kvinnors erfarenheter av våld och hot samt kontexten kvinnan befinner sig i som kan handla om ekonomiskt beroende av mannen, sociala normer såsom religiösa och kulturella faktorer, familjen såsom att offra sig förbarnens skull och bristande socialt stöd. Vid analysen av resultat och i kombination med andra källor från tidigare forskning samt teorier om modellinlärning, stigma & skamsteori, normaliseringsprocessen, ett genusperspektiv samt intersektionalitetsperspektiv visar det sig att det finns massa gemensamma faktorer som påverkar kvinnans beslut antingen att stanna kvar med sin våldsamma partner eller att lämna honom. Dessa faktorer kan vara barriärer till att våldsutsatta kvinnor inte tar sig ur en vålds präglad relation. Dock kan dessa faktorer innebära en förklaring till varför kvinnorna lämnar deras våldsamma partner. Det konstateras även att den vanligaste orsaken till våld i hemmet mot kvinnor beror på manlig maktbalans mellan män och kvinnor i samhället, men också för att kvinnan normaliserar våld i vardagen, vilket leder till att uppbrottet från relationen bli svårare / Violence in intimate relationships is a serious social problem that primarily affects women and children. The most common type of violence that women suffer is perpetrated by aperpetrator the woman has a close relationship with. This literature study aims to investigate which factors are behind the woman's decision to either remain in a violent relationship or to leave it, and whether the normalization of violence affects a woman's decision to leave a violent relationship, as well as how these women describe their experiences of the violence to which they were subjected. The method of the study is a literature review based on qualitative and quantitative methods and a mixture of them both, where the writers of this study have analyzed and reviewed thirteen scientific articles. This literature review has only concentrated on adult women in heterosexual relationships who are subjected to violence by their partners. It shows that there are four themes that affects the woman's decision to remain in her violent relationship or to leave it, which is women's feelings towards the man and her feelings of shame and guilt, women's feelings and experiences of the man's behavior, women'sexperiences of violence and threats as well as the context the woman finds herself in, which can be about economic dependence on the man, social norms such as religious and cultural factors, the family such as sacrificing herself for the sake of the children and a lack of social support. When analyzing results and in combination with other sources from previous research as well as theories about model learning, stigma & shame theory, the normalizationprocess, a gender perspective and intersectionality perspective, it turns out that there are many other factors that influence the woman's decision either to stay with her violent partner or to leave him. These factors can be barriers to why women exposed to violence are not getting out of the relationship. However, these factors may provide an explanation for why women leave their violent partner. It is also stated that the most common reason for domestic violence against women is due to manly power imbalance between men and women in society, but also because the woman normalizes violence in everyday life, which makes the breakup from the relationship more difficult.

Men's violence against women and intimate partner violence (IPV) exists all over the World. This occurs regardless of culture, ethnicity, sexuality, age, religion and social affiliation. The aim of the study was to analyse and review, what influences women's decision to stay or to leave a violent intimate relationship, based on current research on men's violence against women in heterosexual relationships. This qualitative study was conducted through a method called systematic literature review. Data was collected through two databases: PsycInfo and Social Services Abstracts. The study result identified factors such as: poor self-esteem, stigma, guilt, shame, children, economy, social status, social norm, men’s power and control, together with women’s dependence completely on the partner. These factors play a key role in a woman’s decision to stay or to leave a violent intimate partner relationship. Gender and masculinity theories used to analys these factors. Furthermore, the study revealed that usually men and women have different status in most developing societies. Men have a superior and women have an inferior status. The results of the studies also showed that usually men exercise violence against women in order to maintain their superior status and women bear this because of their subordination.