Exploring partner violence : experiences of female university students in Durban.

INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

A recent study indicates that 15-71 percent of women experience physical and or sexual violence by an intimate partner at some point in their lives (WHO, 2010). A study reported that 25 percent of women in the nation's population reported experiencing some form of intimate partner violence in their lives (Jewkes, Levin & Penn-Kekana, 2003).

Significance of the Study

By the end of the last year of study, the number of victims of intimate partner violence had increased. To date, no research has been conducted on intimate partner violence and its consequences among South African university students.

Objectives of the Study

Theoretical Framework

Therefore the study was not a true representation of all female students who experienced partner violence in their intimate relationships. The desire to have sex is one of the important factors that contribute to intimate partner violence.

Figure 1.1 shows the relationship between acts of violent behavior and the consequences of these behaviours for both victims and perpetrators of IPV

Organization of the dissertation

LITERATURE

Introduction

• IPV, a Global Perspective
• IPV in South Africa

A study of adolescent health behaviors in the United States found that 32 percent of women in heterosexual relationships had been emotionally or physically abused by their partners (Flisher et al., 2007). Also Ramissetty-Mikler et al. 2006) report that recent studies estimate that 28 to 96 percent of young adults are victims of intimate partner violence.

Factors Influencing Partner Violence

However, they found a positive relationship between male partner's infidelity and the perpetration of violence against their partners. Furthermore, they argue that attitudes towards IPV are one of the most prominent predictors of the perpetration of violence in intimate relationships.

Consequences of Partner Violence

• Consequences of Partner Violence among Children & Youth

Intimate partner violence is also associated with an increased risk of experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Sabina et al., 2006). IPV is a global health problem associated with consequences for physical, reproductive and mental health (Uthman et al., 2009).

Barriers in Reducing IPV

Negative police responses, including failure to arrest the abuser, victims not being listened to or trivializing the situation, race and socioeconomic status are also strong barriers to reducing and preventing IPV, as most victims find it difficult to report to the police due to fear of stigma, inaction and police ignorance (Liang et al., 2005). The severity of previous episodes of IPV has been found to serve as a barrier to reducing or preventing episodes of partner violence. They further argue that the severity of violence against women can also serve as a barrier to reducing IPV.

For example, an abused woman's informal support network plays an important role in reducing future intimate partner abuse.

Summary

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Introduction

• KwaZulu Natal
• Durban

The study was conducted in Durban, also known as EThekwini, a city in KwaZulu-Natal province, which is one of the four largest cities in South Africa. The University of KwaZulu-Natal was formed in January 2004 as a result of the merger between the former University of Durban Westville and the University of Natal. UKZN has five campuses in two major cities, four in Durban and one in Pietermaritzburg, with a total student population of approximately 42,000, 20 percent of whom are postgraduates, and a total staff of approximately 4,300.

The university's internationalization is mainly centered on its postgraduate enrolments, which are 14 per cent of total postgraduate enrolments, while international undergraduate enrollments account for only 4 per cent of total undergraduate enrollments (UKZN, 2009, date of access.

Qualitative Research

• Focus Group Discussions
• In-depth Interviews
• Mixed Methods

Focus group discussions were conducted in English or IsiZulu, depending on the respondents' choice. However, there are limitations to the use of in-depth interviews as they can be time consuming due to the time it takes to conduct interviews, transcribe them and analyze the results. However, mixed methods can also refer to the combination of two or more qualitative data collection methods, such as focus group discussions and participant observations or individual interviews, with the aim of gaining a better understanding of the issue being investigated.

Morgan (1998) argues that the goal of using mixed methods in qualitative research is to use each method so that it contributes something unique to the researcher's understanding of the phenomenon under study.

Sampling Strategy

Most of the participants believed that alcohol plays an important role in the perpetration of violence in intimate relationships. This appeared mainly when the researcher was investigating reasons related to the continuation of violence in intimate relationships. Multiple partnerships have been considered one of the factors that contribute to violence in intimate relationships.

Sometimes the use of violence in intimate relationships is likely to lead to a lack of trust and fear. Most studies found that peer pressure was one of the major contributors to violence in dating relationships (Dahlberg & Potter, 2001). It was found in this study that peer pressure contributes to the perpetration of violence in intimate relationships of female university students.

Characteristics of a Sample

Methods of Data Analysis

The technique that was used in analyzing the data for this study was in the form of transcripts and coded interviews from both focus groups and in-depth interviews. The first transcription of the data was done and the notes taken during the interviews and focus group discussions were incorporated into the transcripts. The notes improved the quality of the data by, for example, describing body languages, facial expressions, silence and anger.

The researcher then reviewed the transcripts to correct errors and familiarize herself with the responses so that she could decide whether they provided the desired information.

Ethical Considerations

Peers also tend to use violence in their relationships because they need to prove that they are in control. Young people's social networks have an influence on the practice and acceptance of violence in their intimate relationships. In some cases, men use physical violence to prove to their peers that they are in control of the relationship.

In some cases, young men use violence in their relationships to assert their authority over their partners. Female students who experience physical violence in partner relationships were physically injured as a result of the attack. It has been found that due to violence in intimate relationships, one of the partners is afraid to be in the same place as the perpetrator due to the fear that the violent behavior will be repeated.

Summary

He gave a brief overview of the study area; the qualitative methods used in the study, the ethical considerations as well as the observed limitations of the study. The mixed method approach was useful as it combined strengths from both data collection methods to improve the quality of this study as well as the generalizability of the findings.

Introduction

Results

• Experiences of IPV
• Physical Violence
• Sexual Victimization
• Verbal Abuse

One respondent reported that women sometimes refuse to have sex with their partners, but their partners refuse to accept their refusal and use all their power of persuasion to force their partner to submit to their demands. The men claimed that they usually do not respect a woman's right to refuse sex the first time unless she is adamant that she does not want to have sex. The discussions revealed that sexual coercion is common in the intimate relationships of university students.

One woman reported that her partner verbally abused her friend because she refused to have sex with him.

Factors Contributing to Partner Violence

• Anger
• Nagging
• Peer Pressure
• Control and Respect
• Alcohol
• Jealousy Feeling of Insecurity
• Multiple Partnership/ Promiscuity
• Forced Sex

Sometimes men hit their partners because they want to prove themselves to their friends.” [ID#8, male]. They believed that if their partners did not consume alcohol, they would not become violent. Some young women often find themselves in abusive relationships because of their partners' insecurities.

In many cases, women were either severely beaten by their partners or insulted because they did not want to have sex.

Consequences of IPV

• Termination of Relationship
• Low Self Esteem
• Physical Injuries
• Low Academic Performance
• Eating Disorders

The study also aimed to look at the impact of intimate partner violence against women and the barriers to reducing this form of violence against female university students. Factors associated with attitudes toward intimate partner violence against women: A comparative analysis of 17 sub-Saharan countries. Exploring Intimate Partner Violence: Experiences of Female University Students in Durban Guide to In-Depth Interviews for Female Students.

Exploring partner violence: Experiences of female university students in Durban Focus group discussion guide for female students.

What are the Barriers in Reducing Partner Violence

• Accepting Violence as a Norm
• Low Self Esteem
• Not Reporting IPV

Recommendations of the Students

The difficulty of solving problems without using violence in intimate relationships was also one of the barriers to reducing violence in relationships. Students felt they needed more education programs that specifically address violence in intimate relationships and that also encourage young men and women to seek help when they experience violence in relationships, both as victims and as perpetrators. These quotes indicate that little has been done to educate youth about issues related to violence in intimate relationships.

It is often difficult for both victims and perpetrators of violence to seek help when experiencing IPV because of the stigma often associated with intimate relationship violence.

Summary

Gender inequalities, intimate partner violence and HIV prevention practices: Findings from a cross-sectional South African study. Intimate partner violence among middle-aged and older women: a descriptive analysis of women seeking medical services. Gender disparities in attitudes toward intimate partner violence against women in sub-Saharan Africa: A socio-ecological analysis, Central Biomedical Public Health.

Investigating partner violence: Experiences of female university students in Durban In-depth interview guide male students.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Introduction

The purpose of this research was to examine the factors responsible for violence against female students. The study is based on in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with young university students in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. The results of the study were then organized into themes that emerged from the discussions with the students.

The findings of this particular study may not be generalizable to the entire South African female university population because they are based on a small sample.

Discussion

It has been found that although alcohol and drugs can facilitate and increase violent outbursts, they are not the real causes of violence in relationships. The male ego was found to be important to some participants and they resorted to the use of violence to protect their ego. The study showed that there is a consensus among male and female students that a lack of good communication can lead to violence in intimate relationships and that it is important to promote appropriate communication strategies between partners to prevent violence in relationships.

This would help reduce violence in relationships because both partners would know when they are behaving in a way that could lead to violence in their relationship.

Recommendations…

Health sector responses to intimate partner violence in low- and middle-income settings: A review of current models, challenges and opportunities. Modeling the effects of intimate partner violence and access to resources on women's health in the early years after leaving an abusive partner. Intimate partner violence Report and problem drinking among college students: the roles of expectancies and subjective appraisals of alcohol aggression.

I am more interested in understanding the factors that contribute to intimate partner violence, the consequences of intimate partner violence among students on campus, and the barriers to reducing intimate partner violence.