Psyssa Trauma and Violence Division

15/05/2023

This week we are highlighting a recent qualitative meta-synthesis by Alessi & Khan: Toward a trauma-informed qualitative research approach: Guidelines for ensuring the safety and promoting the resilience of research participants.

Key Terms:
• Qualitative research: a type of research that aims to gather and analyse non-numerical data to gain an understanding of individuals' social reality, including understanding their attitudes, beliefs, and motivation.
• Trauma: the biopsychosocial response to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence.

Background:
• Qualitative researchers frequently conduct studies with individuals who have experienced various types of trauma, including those who have been historically marginalized and oppressed.
• However, in-depth discussions of how to conduct trauma-informed qualitative research do not exist.

Key Findings:
This study has provided the groundwork for a trauma-informed qualitative approach and outlines five guidelines for conducting research:
1. Preparing for community entry
2. Preparing for the qualitative interview or focus group
3. Extending safety and trust into the qualitative interview or focus group
4. Knowing when to change course to avoid re-traumatization in the interview or focus group
5. Committing to regular and radical self-reflection and self-care in the research process.

The findings of this study have important implications for research being conducted in South Africa as most of our population and therefore participants are from vulnerable and/or marginalised groups. This offers researchers an opportunity to incorporate these guidelines into their study design and implementation to ensure participant safety as well as promote their resilience.

The full article can be accessed at:

Qualitative researchers frequently conduct studies with individuals who have experienced various types of trauma, including those who have been historically marginalized and oppressed. However, in-...

20/04/2023

This week we are highlighting a recent qualitative meta-synthesis by Green and colleagues on the Influence of Cultural Norms on Formal Service Engagement Among Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence.

Key Terms:
• Intimate Partner Violence: a set of behaviours conducted by a former or current intimate partner that causes physical, sexual, or psychological harm and is one of the most common forms of violence against women.
• Non-Anglo-Saxon: all ethnic groups other than Anglo-English-speaking majority groups.

Background:
• For victim-survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV), receiving help from formal services such as specialist family violence, health, or criminal justice services can be critical for their safety and well-being.
• Previous research has found cross-cultural differences in the rates of help-seeking behaviour, with women from non-Anglo-Saxon communities less likely to seek formal help than Anglo-Saxon populations.
• This may be a result of individual, practical, and cultural barriers which include limited language skills, social isolation, financial dependence on spouses, lack of knowledge of service availability, lack of culturally relevant services, and cultural norms that create a shame and stigma in seeking help.

Key Findings:
• Based on a thematic synthesis approach, this study found five key themes that captured specific cultural norms that influence formal service engagement: (1) gender roles and social expectations, (2) community recognition and acceptance of abuse, (3) honour-based society, (4) the role of religion, and (5) cultural beliefs and attitudes toward formal services.

The findings of this study have important implications for responses to family violence, particularly concerning family violence education for non-Anglo-Saxon ethnically diverse communities and best-practice strategies to improve the cultural relevancy of formal service providers. Given the vulnerability of women in South Africa to IPV, this study had important implications for clinical practice and advocacy.

The full article can be accessed at:

For victim-survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV), receiving help from formal services such as specialist family violence, health, or criminal justice ser...

20/03/2023

Join us for a webinar on World Head Injury Awareness Day (HIAD) on Friday 24 March 13:00 - 15:00, hosted by Netcare Rehabilitation Hospital.
Our VC, Sunitha Swanepoel will be speaking on: "Living your way into a new way of thinking."

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81112344886?pwd=QU4reURLMldrbDRscjBwRWRobXBGUT09
Meeting ID: 811 1234 4886
Passcode: 157218

Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars across mobile, desktop, and room systems. Zoom Rooms is the original software-based conference room solution used around the world in board, confer...

26/01/2023

An outline of the TVD's mission which you can also find on our website https://lnkd.in/dsRTm2rU

The mission of the TVD is to promote the minimisation of violence in society and psychological harm due to exposure to potentially traumatic events.

The TVD addresses this mission through the advancement and appropriate dissemination of scientific research that informs good preventative and ameliorative practice and the implementation of specific initiatives that addresses particular needs related to the prevention of violence or treatment of traumatic stress and related phenomena.

The goals derived from this mission are to be achieved in cooperation with other PsySSA structures, other professional organisations, the general public, and governmental organisations.

26/01/2023

Thinking about joining the TVD?

Here are our annual membership fees:

Full members: R50 per year
Associate and affiliate members: R40 per year
Student members: R20 per year

26/01/2023

Just a reminder of some important emergency numbers, which you can also find on our website https://lnkd.in/dsRTm2rU

SAPS Emergency Services: 10111
Crime Stop: 08600 10111
Domestic violence Helpline: 0800 150 150
Childline: 116
Lifeline: 0861322322
The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG): 0112344837
Su***de Crisis Lifeline: 0800567567
Trauma Helpline: 0800205026

01/12/2022

16 Days of Activism for no Violence against Women and Children 2022
The following numbers can be contacted to get help if you have experienced violence or to report violence against women and children that you have witnessed:
SAPS Crime Stop Tel: 08600 10111
Gender –Based Violence Command Centre Tel: 0800 428 428/ 0800 GBV GBV
Stop Gender Violence Helpline Tel: 0800 150 150 or sms *120*7867 # from any cell phone
Family and Marriage Society of South Africa (FAMSA) Tel: (011) 975 7107
Childline Tel: 08000 55 555
National Crisis Line Tel: 086 132 2322
SA National Council for Child Welfare Tel: 011 339 5741

01/12/2022

16 Days of Activism for no Violence against Women and Children
Background
16 days is a worldwide campaign from 25 November to 10 December to oppose violence against women and children.
It aims to raise awareness of the negative impact that violence and abuse have on women and children and to rid society of abuse permanently.

Why is violence against women and children so prevalent in our society?
Often violence against women and children stems from the low status of women in the home and in society in general.
Violence against women and children most often take place when men abuse their power and positions of authority in order to control women and children.

What does violence against women and children look like?
This control and abuse can have many forms which includes: emotional abuse, physical abuse (causing bodily harm), r**e, financial abuse, sexual harassment, and child abuse.

What is our government doing to protect women and children against violence as well as prevent violence against women and children?
Parliament has passed laws to protect the rights of individuals against abuse. These include: The Domestic Violence Act of 1998, The Children's Act of 2005, The Maintenance Act of 1998, The Promotion of Equity and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act of 2000, and The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters Act) Amendment Act of 2007. These laws can be accessed at: https://www.parliament.gov.za/project-event-details/3
The vision of Parliament confirms Parliament as the institution that transforms the entire society to be based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights, which include women’s and children’s rights.

What can you do to prevent and stop violence against women and children?
Break the cycle of violence by breaking the silence and acting against abuse. Report abuse that you are experiencing yourself or abuse of women and children that you have witnessed.
Seek help, care and treatment for yourself after experiencing abuse or assist others who have experienced abuse to do the same. This can include consulting with primary care physicians, nurses, social workers, and psychologists.
Seek social support from friends, family, and other loved ones for yourself after experiencing abuse or assist others who have experienced abuse to do the same.

What are the key dates observed during this period?
25 November: International Day of No Violence Against Women
29 November: International Women Human Rights Defenders Day
1 December: World Aids Day
3 December: International Day for the Disabled
10 December: International Human Rights Day