English: The aim of this research was to gain insight into the life-world of the male
batterer. A methodology which can be described as a phenomenological approach was employed. This is a psychodynamic and essence-directed descriptive study which relates specifically to the male batterer.
This research was prompted by the actuality of women battering. Another
factor which also contributed towards this research was the fact that most of
the knowledge on battering is construed from interviews with the victim.
The researcher was therefore specifically interested in knowing how the batterer
himself experienced and articulated the reality of battering.
The research commenced by the embarkation upon a thorough literature
study of the subject, so as to identify carefully specific distinctive characteristics with regard to the male batterer. Emphasis was especially given
to the bio-psycho-sociocriminological factors which contributed to an elucidation of battering.
Anonymous telephone interviews were conducted with various male batterers
in order to gather information with regard to their behaviour. This procedure
was utilized because possible condemnation and stigmatization could deter
the male batterer from participating in a more direct personal confrontation.
The fear of identification and criminal prosecution could furthermore hinder
direct personal contact with the male batterer. This kind of telephone inter-
view guarantees anonymity, and was therefore seen as a vehicle to encourage
the batterer to volunteer an explication of his experience of battering. Anonymous telephone interviews also allowed for a sample to be drawn from the
more broader normal population. Consequent to this methodology the
batterers found in prison for rehabilitation, or in psychiatric hospitals for treatment were excluded. The sample is therefore more representative of
the general population.
Emanating from the research, it was apparent that a multi-dimensional or
interdisciplinary orientation was necessary to· understand the experential
and life-world of the male batterer. According to this approach the batterer
could be regarded as a dynamic, multi-faceted, unique and complex being
with diverse potentialities, such as the ability to be "normal" and "abnormal". Re-occurring themes with regard to the male batterer's personality
were manifested during the research and indicated that the batterer experienced psychological maladjustment, yet that he was not necessarily mentally disturbed. The following are distinctive characteristics of the male batterer:
Emotional dependency, depression, aggression, guilt, low self-esteem, low
frustration tolerance and impulsiveness.
The actuality and complexity of the phenomenon of battering indicate the
necessity for further research.
Afrikaans: Die doel van hierdie navorsing was om meer insig te bekom ten opsigte van
die lewens-wereld van die vroueslaner. 'n Fenomenologiese metodologiese benaderingswyse is tydens die navorsing gevolg. Hierdie is 'n psigodinamiese
en essensie-gerigte beskrywende studie wat spesifiek handel oor die vroue-slaner.
Hierdie navorsing is geinisieer as gevolg van die aktualiteit van vrouemis-
handeling. Nog 'n faktor wat tot hierdie navorsing gelei het, was die feit dat
die meeste navorsing wat beskikbaar is, gebaseer is op navorsingsdata van
onderhoude wat met die slagoffer gevoer is. Die navorsing wou dus meer
spesifiek bepaal hoe die vroueslaner self sy wereld beleef en weergee.
Die studie is begin deur 'n deeglike literatuurstudie ten opsigte van vroue-
slanery te loots. Tydens die literatuurstudie is daar spesifieke kenmerkende
eienskappe van die vroueslaner bekom. Daar is veral klem gele op die bio-
psigo-sosiokriminologiese faktore wat moontlik 'n veroorsakende bydrae tot
vroueslanery sou lewer.
Anonieme telefoniese onderhoude is met verskeie vroueslaners gevoer om
inligting omtrent hulle te bekom. Die anonieme telefoon onderhoudsvoering
prosedure is gebruik omdat moontlike veroordeling en stigmatisering die
vroueslaner weerhou van meer direkte persoonlike kontak. Die moontlik-
heid van persoonlike identifisering en kriminele vervolging kon direkte persoonlike kontak met die vroueslaner verder bemoeilik. Anonimiteit wat
naamlose telefoon onderhoud bied, het daartoe bygedra dat vroueslaners
hulle ondervinding en belewenisse as vroueslaners met die navorser kon deel.
Anonieme telefoon onderhoudsvoering was gerig op die bree normale bevolking en het die verdere voordeel ingehou dat dit vroueslaners wat in gevangenisse en psigiatriese hospitale behandel word, uitgesluit het en dus is
die steekproef meer verteenwoordigend van die algemene bevolking.
Uit die navorsing was dit duidelik dat 'n multi-dimensionele of interdissiplinere benadering noodsaaklik is om die ondervinding en lewens-wereld van
die vroueslaner te begryp. Volgens hierdie benadering word die vroueslaner
beskou as 'n dinamiese, multi-fasette, unieke en komplekse wese wat oor
diverse potensiaal beskik, soos "normaliteit" en "abnormaliteit". Tydens
die navorsing het daar herhaalde temas ten opsigte van die vroueslaner se
persoonlikheid na vore gekom wat daarop dui dat die vroueslaner sielkundige aanpassingsprobleme ervaar, maar nie noodwendig sielkundig versteurd
is nie. Die volgende is kenmerkende eienskappe van die vroueslaner: Emosionele afhanklikheid, depressie, aggressie, skuldgevoelens, lae self-esteem,
lae frustrasie toleransie en impulsiewe gedrag.
Die aktualiteit en kompleksiteit van vroueslanery is aanduidend dat verdere
navorsing op die gebied noodsaaklik is.
