Experiences of, and support guidelines for, male victims of intimate partner violence perpetrated by their female partners in Gauteng, South Africa

Abstract

Intimate partner violence against women is well documented, while there is a silence on research on intimate partner violence against men. Violence towards men is a problem that society cannot solve, mainly because of the patriarchal society on which this nation is founded. This study aimed at studying men’s experiences of this phenomenon and developing guidelines for support to male victims of intimate partner violence perpetrated by their female partners in Gauteng. A qualitative, interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) research design was used to explore men's experiences of intimate partner violence, their views on how service providers support them, and the coping strategies that they employ to address their lived experiences. Fourteen men were recruited from Moshate (an NGO) and a church in Gauteng province using purposive sampling. Data were collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews and fieldnotes and analysed using Smith's (2014) IPA approach. The findings revealed the following themes: male victims of IPV experienced the abuse as denial of conjugal rights, false accusations, physical, sexual, psychological, and economic abuse and controlling behaviour. The male victims of IPV attributed their abuse to various factors, such as cultural, psycho-social, and socioeconomic factors, and exploitation. The consequences of IPV as experienced by the men were psychological, separation from the abusive partner, fear of disintegration of families, inability to be intimate with the abusive partner, suicide attempts, socioeconomic effects and incarceration. It was found that trauma bonding issues such as their belief system, child maintenance, fear of losing their children, and avoiding economic loss were the reasons why these men remained in abusive relationships. The strategies adopted to cope with their abusive partners included seeking help and maladaptive coping strategies. Finally, the abused victims expressed several empowerment needs, such as appropriate socialisation and psycho-social support.

Consequently, the study suggests the following support guidelines for male victims of IPV perpetrated by their female partners: appropriate socialisation; psycho-social support, which includes multi-pronged abuse acknowledgement, public awareness, counselling, support groups, practical support, and fair implementation of the law and legal support; stakeholder training; and a VEP (victim empowerment programme) that is specific to male victims of IPV perpetrated by their female partners.

Khakhathi dza vhushaka ha vhuṋe dzine dza itelwa vhafumakadzi dzi ḓivhea nga maanḓa, ngeno kha sia ḽa ṱhoḓisiso ho fhumulwa tshoṱhe nga ha khakhathi dza vhushaka ha vhuṋe dzine dza itelwa vhanna. Khakhathi dzine dza itelwa vhanna ndi thaidzo ine tshitshavha tsha si kone u i tandulula, zwihulwane nga nṱhani ha tshitshavha tshine vhanna vha vha vhone vhalanguli hune ha vha vhubvo ha lushaka ulu. Ṱhoḓisiso heyi yo livhiswa kha u guda tshenzhelo dza vhanna nga ha tshibveleli itshi na u bveledza nyendedzi dza u tikedza vhanna vha vhapondwa vha khakhathi dza vhushaka ha vhuṋe hune ha itwa nga vhafarisi vhavho vha tshifumakadzini Gauteng. Kuitele kwa ṱhoḓisiso ya musaukanyo wa khwaḽithethivi, wa u ṱalutshedza zwibveleli (IPA) kwo shumiswa u wanulusa tshenzhelo ya vhanna ya khakhathi dza vhushaka ha vhuṋe, mihumbulo yavho nga ha nḓila ine vhaṋetshedzatshumelo vha vha tikedza, na nḓila dza u kona u tshila dzine vha dzi shumisa u amba nga ha tshenzhelo dza matshilo avho. Vhanna vha 14 vho dzhenelela u bva Moshate (ndi NGO) na kerekeni kha vundu ḽa Gauteng hu tshi khou shumiswa tsumbonanguludzwa dzo sedzaho kha zwiṅwe zwithu. Data yo kuvhanganywa nga kha inthaviwu dzo dzudzanywaho dza u livhana zwifhaṱuwo na u rekhoda zwo waniwaho na u saukanya hu tshi khou shumiswa kuitele kwa (2014) IPA. Mawanwa o dzumbulula thero dzitevhelaho: vhapondwa vha vhanna vha IPV vha tshenzhela u tambudzwa sa u hanela pfanelo dza zwa vhudzekani, u pomokelwa zwithu zwi si zwa vhukuma, u tambudzwa muvhili, vhudzekani, muhumbulo na masheleni na vhuḓifari ha u langula. Vhapondwa vha vhanna vha IPV vho sumbedza u tambudzwa havho kha zwiṱaluli zwo fhambanaho, zwi ngaho sa mvelele, muhumbulo na matshilisano, na zwiṱaluli zwa ikonomi ya matshilisano, na u tambudzwa. Mvelele dza IPV sa dzo tshenzhelwaho nga vhanna ho vha muhumbulo, u fhambanywa na mufarisi ane a u tambudza, nyofho ya u khwashea ha miṱa, u sa kona u vha na vhushaka na mufarisi ane a u tambudza, ndingedzo dza u ḓivhulaha, masiandaitwa a ikonomi dza matshilisano na u valelwa dzhele.

Ho wanululwa uri mafhungo a vhuṱungu ha vhuṱumani sa sisiṱeme ya zwine vha tenda khazwo, u unḓa ṅwana, nyofho ya u xelelwa nga vhana vhana vhavho, u tinya ndozwo ya ikonomi zwo vha zwiṅwe zwa zwiitisi zwine zwa ita uri vhanna avha vha dzule kha vhushaka ha u tambudzwa. Nḓila dzo shumiswaho u kona u tshila na vhafarisi vhavho vhane vha vha tambudza hu katelwa u ṱoḓa thuso na nḓila dza u sa kona u ḓiḓowedza u tshila. Tsha u fhedzisela, vhapondwa vho tambudzwaho vha bvisela khagala ṱhoḓea dzo fhambanaho dza u maanḓafhadza, u fana na matshilisano o teaho na thikhedzo ya muhumbulo na matshilisano. Nga yeneyo nḓila, ṱhoḓisiso yo dzinginya nyendedzi dza thikhedzo dzi tevhelaho kha vhapondwa vha vhanna vha IPV vhane vha itelwa khakhathi nga vhafarisi vhavho vha tshifumakadzini: matshilisano o teaho; na thikhedzo ya muhumbulo na matshilisano , ine ya katela u shumiswa ha maitele o fhambanaho a u tenda u tambudza, mafulo a tshitshavha, ngeletshedzo, zwigwada zwa thikhedzo, thikhedzo ire khagala, na u shumiswa lwo teaho ha mulayo na thikhedzo ya mulayo; vhugudisi ha vhadzhiamukovhe; na VEP (Mbekanyamushumo ya u maanḓafhadza mupondwa) yo itelwaho vhapondwa vha vhanna vha IPV vhane vha tambudzwa nga vhafarisi vhavho vha tshifumakadzini.

Madzolonga ya varhandzani ku tsariwe ngopfu hi wona mayelana na vavasati, kambe a ku vuriwi nchumu hi madzolonga lama ya endliwaka eka vavanuna. Madzolonga lama ya endliwaka eka vavanuna i xirhalanganyi lexi sosayati yi nga kotiku ku xi ntlhantlha, ngopfu ngopfu hikokwalaho ka sosayati ya hina leyi yi nga voyamela etlhelo ra vavanuna ntsena ku nga patriarchal laha sosayati yi dzimekeke kona. Ndzavisiso lowu wu na xikongomelo xa ku endla ndzavisiso hi ntokoto wa mhaka leyi, na ku endla makombandlela ya ku seketela vavanuna lava xanisiweke eka madzolonga ya varhandzani lama ya endliwaka hi tiphatnara ta vavasati eka vavanuna eGauteng. Ku tirhisiwe nxopanxopo wa dizayini ya rhiseche ku nga qualitative, interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) ku xopaxopa hi ntokoto wa vavanuna eka madzolonga ya varhandzani, mianakanyo ya vona hi ndlela leyi vapfuneti hi vuphakeri bya swipfuneto va va seketelaka hi kona, na maqhinga ya vona yo langutana na xiyimo lama va ma tirhisaka ku langutana na mintokoto leyi va kongomaneke na yona eka mintokoto ya vutomi bya vona lebyi va byi hanyaka. Vavanuna va khume mune va hlanganisiwe ku suka eMoshate (ku nga NGO) na le kerekeni eka xifundzhankulu xa Gauteng hi ku tirhisa purposive sampling ku nga ku tivonela ka vaendli va ndzavisiso. Vutivi byi hlengeletiwe hi ku langutana xikandza-na-xikandza hi ti semi-strucured interview na nxopanxopo wo tirhisa Smith's IPA approach (2014). Leswi kumekeke swi kombise tinhlokomhaka ta mune: ku xanisiwa ka vavanuna hi IPV lava va nga xanisiwa hi ku tsoniwa timfanelo ta swa masangu, ku hehliwa hi vunwa, ku biwa, ku xanisiwa hi swa masangu na ku xanisiwa hi swa ikhonomi na matikhomelo yo va lawula. Vaxanisiwa va vavanuna hi IPV va vule leswo ku xanisiwa loku ku vangeriwa hi swilo swinyingi, swo fana na swa mfuwo, vuxakelani bya vanhu na swa ngqondo, swa vuxakelani bya vanhu na ikhonomi, na ku cangayisiwa. Switandzhaku swa IPV leswi vavanuna va nga na ntokoto hi swona a swi ri swa ngqondo, ku hambanisiwa na tiphatnara ra vona, ku chava ku nhlanhleka ka mindyangu, ku tsandzeka ku endla swa masangu na tiphatnara leti ti va xanisaka; ku ringeta ku tidlaya, switandzhaku swa vuxakeleni bya vanhu na ikhonomi na ku khotsiwa emajele. Ku kumeke leswo ntshuko wa ku xakelana wo fana na ku kholelwa, ku wundla n'wana, nchavo wo lahlekeirwa hi vana na ku papalata ku lahlekeriwa hi swa ikhonomi hi swona leswi ku nga swivangelo swa leswo vavanuna lava va tshama eka vuxaka na vaxanisiwa wa vona. Maqhinga lama va ma tirhisaka ku langutana na xiyimo xa ku xanisiwa hi tiphatnara ta vona ya katsa ku lava ku pfuniwa na maqhinga yo langutana na xiyimo lama ma nga ri ku kahle. Xo hetelela, vaxanisiwa va kombisa ku lava swinyingi swo va timbahata no va pfuneta, swo fana na nseketelo hi vuxakelani na vanhu na nseketelo wa swa vuxakelani hi swa ngqondo na vanhu. Hikokwalaho, ndzavisiso wu ringanyeta leswo ku va na makombandlela ya minseketelo leyi landzaka eka vavanuna lava xanisiwaka hi swa IPV, leswi swi endliwaka hi tiphatnara ta vona ta vavasati: ku pfunetiwa hi swa vuxakelani na vanhu, nseketelo hi swa ngqondo na vuxakelani na vanhu, leswi swi katsaku ku amukeriwa ka leswo va xaniseka hi tindlela tinyingi, ku lemuka ka vanhu hi nxaniseko lowu, ku kuma switsundzuxo (counselling), mintlawa yo seketela, nseketelo wo khomeka, na ku tirhisiwa hi ndlela leyinene ka nawu na ku kuma nseketelo hi swa nawu; ku leteriwa ka vakhomaxiave; na minongonoko yo timbahatiwa leyi vuriwaka VEP (victim empowerment programme); leyi yi kongomisiweke eka vavanuna lava va xanisiweke hi IPV, leswi swi endliwaka hi tiphatnara ta vavasati.