Includes bibliography. / Despite the severity and extent of battering, the experiences of battered women remain largely hidden and unacknowledged due to the privacy of the family and the relative unimportance accorded women in a sexist society where male dominance and control are sanctioned. This study attempts to break some of the silence surrounding the problems and experiences of battered women with a view to influencing clinical practice. Battering is situated within its social, historical and theoretical context offering a feminist analysis to provide most clarity on this complex issue. Battering is regarded as one form of extensive male violence against women, and viewed as an extension of behaviour and roles supported and encouraged by the dominant culture. The sample consisted of nine battered women drawn from the case-loads of counsellors who are members of the Coordinated Action for Battered Women group. A feminist methodology which attempts to do research for women rather than on women, was adhered to. Within this the experiences of women themselves are sought to elucidate the general position and experience of women thereby allowing the personal/individual to be connected with political/collective spheres. The research was conducted in the form of a literature search followed by holding individual in-depth interviews with open-ended questions to elicit qualitative data on the women's relationships, their experiences of violence, and their experiences of helping agents. From the transcribed interviews common themes and trends· were drawn out, highlighting the difficulties facing battered women and thereby signifying the complex psychological and practical factors which may keep women trapped in violent relationships. The women's stories therefore serve to indicate issues which clinicians need to consider in their work with battered women. Findings indicate that clinicians need to have a thorough knowledge of the complexities of battering, the effects on women, the resources available and that their role of advocate and change-agent be amplified since socio-legal and economic forces prove the major constraints to battered women. Recommendations for training and increased resources are therefore made. Feminist therapy is advocated as the most appropriate for battered women since its principles and tenets embrace issues such as power, domination, gender, social change and consciousness which are fundamental to an adequate analysis of battering.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uct/oai:localhost:11427/14370 |
| Date | January 1990 |
| Creators | Angless, Teresa M |
| Contributors | Isaacs, Gordon, Tshabalala, Mandla |
| Publisher | University of Cape Town, Faculty of Humanities, Department of Social Development |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Master Thesis, Masters, MSocSc |
| Format | application/pdf |
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