Voices of women who have transitioned from a shelter for survivors of domestic violence to independent living
- Authors: Moonieyan, Chrislynn https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9101-7892
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Family violence Shelters for the homeless Homeless persons
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSoc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/12939 , vital:39407
- Description: Domestic violence is a devastating social ill in South Africa and especially in the Eastern Cape. There were 12059 cases of domestic violence reported at police stations in the Eastern Cape between 2015 and 2017 (Dayimani, 2017). Domestic violence is broadly defined as any act of abuse resulting in harm or suffering experienced by women enacted by an intimate partner (Goosen & Shaik, 2008). One in four women experience physical violence in their lifetime (Rasool, 2015). Women who experience domestic violence often lack social and economic resources and may have no place to go to escape the abuse. In such cases, shelters are identified as places of safety, providing accommodation and psychosocial support to women and children who have escaped domestic violence. The aim of the study was to explore and understand the experiences of women who have suffered abuse, lived in a shelter for survivors of domestic violence and have then transitioned from life at the shelter back to independent living. Independence is defined as “the freedom to organize your own life, make your own decisions” (Hornby, 2015b) and independent living is a concept of leaving the shelter to live in the community. A phenomenological research design was adopted, with the sample of the study consisting of eight women who had resided at a shelter and three staff members from shelters for domestic violence in the Eastern Cape. Interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) was adopted to analyse the data that was collected from the participants during semi-structured interviews. The study found that the reasons women seek help at a shelter include the severity of the abuse, the gravity of the impact of the abuse upon their own wellbeing, the fact that the abuse is accompanied by substance abuse, and also because the children are exposed and experience the abuse. The study also found that in addition to resources such as government services and civil society organisations, the shelters themselves are most supportive to women as they leave the shelter and transition back to independent living. Lastly, the study highlighted that the challenges women face as they transition to independent living were the lack of support and the lack of social and economic resources. Recommendations based on the findings of the study are to advocate to stop domestic violence, to collaborate with various departments to combat domestic violence and lastly to fund shelters and ensure the shelter staff are adequately trained to work with survivors of domestic violence.
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Water resources management and its impact on small scale farming :the case of Lesotho
- Authors: Malinga, Wayne
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Water resources development -- Lesotho Water-supply -- Lesotho Farms, Small -- Lesotho
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/9089 , vital:34256
- Description: This study is premised on the assumption that empowering the small-scale farmers in securing property rights and enforcement of these rights are the prime movers of agricultural development. Logically, it follows that by empowering small-scale farmers and giving them access to resources such as credits, subsidies and extension services the state can play a mediating role in transforming the agricultural land scape in Lesotho. Unless farmers are empowered the water resources in Lesotho will continue to serve the interest of the rent-seeking elite. Given the nature of the issues under investigation, the mixed research methodology (the use of both qualitative and quantitative methods) was used as a method of inquiry in order to get a deeper understanding of the phenomenon of water resources management and its subsequent impact on small scale farming in the rural areas of Lesotho. Both methods played a complimentary role by capitalising on both their strengths and weaknesses so as to provide various dynamics and linkages between the two variables of water resources management and small scale farming. The material condition of small scale farmers is intrinsically associated with the active state mediation in agriculture. Yet, the adopted Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) approach is still to materialise. This thesis, thus, argues that there is a need for a more holistic integrated water resources management framework that is livelihoods based and re-emphasises the need for conserving the ecosystem. Therefore, implementing a more holistic integrated water resources management approach is critical and vital in improving agricultural production and subsequently the livelihoods of small scale farmers and households. Although this thesis used Lesotho as the case study, it is hoped that the findings may provide tentative answers for other Sub-Saharan countries on how to properly and efficiently manage water resources so as to boost agricultural production amongst small scale farmers in order to improve human conditions and promote sustainable development in the rural areas.
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Women's knowledge and attitudes towards discontinuation of the Long-acting reversible contraceptive (Implanon) in Buffalo City Municipality, South Africa
- Authors: Mrwebi, Khungelwa Patricia
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Contraceptives Birth control Women's health services
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MPH
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/11206 , vital:37231
- Description: Unintended pregnancy remains a public health concern worldwide despite the availability of many contraceptives options. The South Africa Government introduced Implanon —a Long-acting Reversible Device— with aim to cost effectively prevent unplanned pregnancy. There are concerns that the implementation of this contraceptive option was without prior piloting to test for level of acceptance and attitude towards this contraception. Also, there is paucity of evidence on knowledge of women and their attitude to implanon as well as duration of use and reasons for discontinuation of implanon in South Africa. The present study address this gap by assessing the women’s knowledge of and attitude to implanon as well as reasons for implanon discontinuation in Buffalo City Municipality in South Africa. This prospective observational study administered a pre-validated questionnaire to 189 women who had removed implanon in the reproductive health clinic in one regional hospital and a primary health centre in Buffalo City Municipality. Descriptive statistics were used to analysis the study data. The average duration for implanon use among the participants was 11.2 months. Most participants had poor knowledge of implanon and implanon knowledge was significantly associated was with age. Most participants opined that implanon use is associated with heavy bleeding (60.7), irregular frequent bleeding (84.3percent), and weight gain (67percent). The main reason for implanon discontinuation was its side effects (71.3 percent). Other reasons for discontinuation of implanon are poor or wrong positioning (3.2percent), want to become pregnant (4.3percent). Some participants discontinued implanon because they were on treatment; 24 participants on ARV drug, one on antipsychotic drugs, and one on TB drugs. Experience of heavy bleeding (39.9percent) was the most stated side of implanon leading to implanon discontinuation. The study concluded that women, even though adopted implanon, lack knowledge of implanon mechanism of action and side effects. Poor knowledge of implanon side effects could explain its early discontinuation among women in South Africa. Provider should prioritise comprehensive counselling of clients on implanon side effects and mechanism of action in order to realise the benefit of implanon in this population.
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