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The perceptions and experience of male farm workers of the effects of a transpersonal social work intervention in addressing domestic violence

Thesis (M Social Work)--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT:
This study is an attempt to gain a deeper understanding, from the perspective
and experience of male farm workers, of the effects of a transpersonal social
work counselling intervention, on a wine farm in the Western Cape, in
promoting more socially functional behaviour and reducing violent behaviour,
particularly towards their intimate partners.
Domestic violence was found by Parenzee and Smythe (2003:47) of the
Institute of Criminality to be “pervasive within farming communities” and that
responses are less than adequate, no preventative services were being
offered and the only structured interventions that were in place, were aimed at
improving the livelihoods of women. There is a growing awareness that
addressing the high and increasing levels of violence against women in South
Africa needs to incorporate working directly with men as recommended, after
local studies, by Sonke Gender Justice Network (2009), Boonzaier (2005),
Londt (2004) and Abrahams, Jewkes and Laubsher (1999). A recent study concerning the legacy of dependency and powerlessness
experienced by farm workers on wine farms in the Western Cape by Falletisch
(2008:v) found there to be a need for “further research into accessible,
appropriate and sustainable intervention strategies on farms that empower
labourers and break the cycles of habitual excessive drinking, social violence
and hopelessness on farms.”
Transpersonal intervention enables human beings to attain a sense of Self and
the consequent accessing of their own inner power, and with that the
dissipation of the compulsion to hurt, control or abuse others and themselves
says Hollis (1994) and France (2008).
Circumstances that are oppressive, disempowering and poverty inducing, as
experienced by a large majority of farm labour in South Africa, may be
inhibiting to, but should not preclude, self realisation. The researcher, a social work practitioner in private practice on a wine farm in
the Western Cape, applied this approach in a counselling intervention with
male farm workers, to enable them to, not only reach their own self-defined
goals, but also to reduce abusive behaviour such as alcohol abuse and
domestic violence.
The effects of the intervention from the perspectives of the men as well as their
female partners, was explored in order to determine the effectiveness of the
intervention, particularly, in reducing intimate partner violence. The goal of the
study was thus to gain a deeper understanding, from the perspective and
experience of male farm workers, of the effects of a transpersonal social work
intervention in promoting more socially functional behaviour and reducing
violent behaviour, particularly towards their intimate partners.
There is a dearth of services, particularly addressing male workers on farms
says Shabodien (2005) and it is hoped that this study may evaluate the
effectiveness and potential for further application in practice amongst farm
worker communities in South Africa. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING:
Hierdie studie poog om, vanuit die perspektief van manlike plaaswerkers op ‘n
Wes-Kaapse wynplaas, ‘n duideliker begrip te verkry van die invloed van ‘n
maatskaplike beradingsintervensie, ter bevordering van groter funksionele
sosiale gedrag en die vermindering van geweldadige gedrag, veral teenoor hul
intieme lewensmaats.
Parenzee en Smythe (2003:47) van die Instituut van Kriminaliteit het bevind
dat plaasgemeenskappe deurtrek is van huishoudelike geweld en dat proaktiewe
inisiatiewe onvoldoende was. Geen voorkomende dienste anders as
gestruktureerde intervensies gemik op die verbetering van die bestaansreg
van vroue is in plek. Daar is ‘n toenemende bewustheid om mans te betrek
ten einde die tendens van groeiende geweldsvlakke teen vroue in Suid-Afrika
aan te spreek, soos trouens ook bevind is deur plaaslike navorsing deur Sonke
Gender Justice Network (2009), Boonzaier (2005), Londt (2004) en Abrahams,
Jewkes en Laubsher (1999).
‘n Onlangse studie aangaande die nalatenskap van afhanklikheid en
magteloosheid ondervind deur plaaswerkers op wynplase in die Wes-Kaap
deur Falletisch (2008:v) het bevind dat daar ‘n behoefte is vir “verdere
navorsing na toeganklike, toepaslike en volhoubare intervensiestrategieë op
plase wat arbeiders bemagtig om die kringloop van gebruiklike oormatige
drinkery, maatskaplike geweld en moedeloosheid op plase te breek”.
Interpersoonlike intervensies stel die mens in staat om ‘n beeld van die eie self
te verkry en die gevolglike bewuswording van hul eie innerlike krag, en met dit
die afname van die drang om ander en hulself seer te maak, te oorheers en te
mishandel volgens Hollis (1994) en France (2008).
Omstandighede wat onderdruk, ontmagtig en armoede tot gevolg het, soos
ondervind deur die groter meerderheid van plaasarbeid in Suid-Afrika, mag
selfverwesenliking inhibeer, maar nie uitsluit.
Die navorser, ‘n maatskaplike praktisyn in private praktyk op ‘n wynplaas in die
Wes-Kaap, het hierdie benadering toegepas in ‘n beradingsintervensie met
manlike plaaswerkers, om hulle in staat te stel om nie alleen hul eie doelwitte
te bereik nie, maar ook onaanvaarbare gedrag soos alkoholmisbruik en
huishoudelike geweld te verminder.
Die effek van die intervensie, vanuit die perspektief van die mans sowel as dié
van hul vroulike lewensmaats, is nagevors ten einde die effektiwiteit van die
intervensie te bepaal - veral die vermindering van geweld teenoor die
lewensmaats. Die doel van die studie was dus om ‘n dieper begrip te verkry,
vanuit die perspektief en ondervinding van manlike plaaswerkers, van die
positiewe uitwerking van ‘n interpersoonlike maatskaplike intervensie gemik op
die bevordering van meer sosiaal funksionele gedrag en die vermindering van
geweldadige gedrag, veral teenoor hul intieme lewensmaats.
Daar is ‘n gebrek aan dienste, veral wat manlike werkers op plase aanspreek
volgens Shabodien (2005), en word gehoop dat hierdie studie die effektiewiteit
en potensiaal vir verdere toepassing in die praktyk onder plaasgemeenskappe
in Suid-Afrika mag evalueer.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/2332
Date03 1900
CreatorsBrophy, Fiona C.
ContributorsGreen, S., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Social Work.
PublisherStellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageUnknown
TypeThesis
RightsUniversity of Stellenbosch

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