3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions
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Item Exploring young adults’ views of the #AmINext movement in South Africa(2023) Smith, NicoleGender-based violence (GBV) is a pervasive problem in South Africa and has significant impacts on a person’s physical, psychological, and sexual health. Moreover, as technology advances in the world, social media becomes increasingly available and ‘hashtag activism’ has become an increasingly important tool in challenging social injustices such as GBV. A notable example of online movements is the #AmINext movement. Thus, this study aimed to develop an understanding of how young adults in South Africa experienced the #AmINext movement and how it served to conscientise and shape their ideas about GBV. Semistructured interviews were conducted with five male and five female participants and thematic analysis was used to analyse the interview material. The findings of the study revealed a unified understanding of the #AmINext movement to exist as a result of the murder and rape of Uyinene Mrwetyana. The movement was understood to raise consciousness on GBV, encourage action against GBV, challenge rape culture and create a sense of community among victims and those engaging in the movement. The movement was experienced not only as unifying but the online space was also experienced as negative and exclusionary and where harmful narratives were perpetuated. The movement resulted in a deeper understanding of GBV and an increased willingness to engage against GBV further highlighting how the movement shaped ideas around GBV. Therefore, the #AmINext movement reflected many of the advantages and disadvantages of hashtag activism but was perceived to result in conscientisation around GBV.Item Kuthetha ukuthini ukunyamezela? An autoethnographic inquiry that uses Boal’s concept of rituals and masks to explore how gender-based violence is intentionally or unintentionally perpetuated in intimate partner relationships(2023) Ngoni, YonelaThis autoethnographic inquiry was focused, specifically, on gender-based violence (GBV) in a heterosexual intimate partner relationship. It explored how cultural, traditional, and economic systems operate in ways that may position a woman to become a victim-enabler of GBV in her intimate relationship. It used Augusto Boal’s concept of Rituals and Masks as a method to explore how learned helplessness, resulting from the battered woman syndrome and the operation of structural factors, contributed towards the duality of a woman becoming a victim-enabler of GBV in an intimate partner relationship. The practical steps taken towards fulfilling these aims included recalling battering experiences to use as prompts for short scenes (rituals) that allowed for role (masks) exploration of the batterer and the battered persons. The research involved creating installations using Rituals and Masks to explore how the role played by the “battered” person enabled and perpetuated GBV due to structural factors. It entailed recording and writing a journal to track thoughts and reflections of the experimental process; sitting with self to listen to the body and mind; and consulting with a drama therapist to assist with processing and grounding whenever I deemed necessary. This inquiry found that structural factors, through their cyclic operations, played a huge role in encouraging a black South African, Xhosa woman’s unintentional enabling and perpetuating of GBV in an intimate partner relationship. This was evidenced by normalising and excusing GBV, socialised docility and tolerance of abuse as traditional and cultural obedience. The continuous acts of autocratic domination by the batterer, the man, and meek submission by the battered, the woman, created and continued an existing ritual of gender performance by playing prescribed gender roles without questioning or disrupting the monotonous narrative of a man dominating a submissive woman. This reinforcement of gender performance and Rituals and Masks developed into toxic masculinity, which was internalised by the woman through adherence to traditionally prescribed gender roles, bringing about the internalisation of toxic masculinity traits that ultimately developed into toxic femininity. This inquiry also found that Rituals and Masks can be used as a self-reflexive tool.Item The perceptions of men involved in a gender-based violence prevention programme at Sonke Gender Justice.(2013-08-02) Kaeflein, MaryGender-based violence (GBV) is particularly widespread in South Africa and it is reaching alarming proportions. Violence in South Africa is considered normative. Cognizance needs to be taken of the negative consequences thereof for the lives of men, women and children. Highly publicized acts of violence by men have captured the concern of the country, yet traditional intervention responses continue to focus more on women as victims. This research explored perceptions of non-perpetrating men involved in a GBV gender-based violence prevention programme at Sonke Gender Justice, Johannesburg. A qualitative research approach was used. Purposive sampling was applied when study participants were selected. Twelve participants were accessed from “One Man Can” – a prevention programme at Sonke Gender Justice. All the participants were male and had been involved in the prevention programme since its inception. Semi-structured interviews were used to conduct in-depth interviews. To enhance trustworthiness and rigour, data was triangulated, and in-depth interviews were also conducted with three key informants. The interviews were audio-recorded with the participants’ consent and transcribed verbatim. Thematic content analysis was used to analyze all data collected, resulting in the identification of themes, sub-themes and categories. The data was subjected to literature control against the existing body of knowledge. The research report indicated that there was awareness by participants in the GBV prevention programme of the multiple forms of GBV as well as the interrelatedness of the different forms. Substance abuse was found to both cause and exacerbate GBV. Prevention programmes were acknowledged to be beneficial to participants in terms of the knowledge and skills that were gained. The research study will make a valuable contribution to social work’s understanding of GBV and the positive role men can play in prevention interventions. Subsequently the recommendations indicate that men can be positively involved as partners in raising awareness and development of GBV programmes.