Victim empowerment strategy for female partner abuse in North West: A social work perspective

Abstract

This study focuses on the development of a victim empowerment strategy for female victims of partner abuse in the North West province of South Africa from a social work perspective. Female partner abuse is a significant social and public health issue in the province, characterised by multiple, intersecting forms of violence and subjugation. Underpinned by Bronfenbrenner's bio-ecological theory, the study recognises the multifaceted and interdependent dynamics across individual, interpersonal, institutional, community, and societal domains that influence experiences of abuse and pathways to empowerment and recovery. A multi-phase qualitative research process enabled a multi-layered understanding of the research phenomenon and informed the development of the victim empowerment strategy. The population for the study included three groups: 21 female victims of partner abuse, 32 entry-level social workers, and 16 supervisors and managers within the North West Department of Social Development. The districts included were Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati and Dr Kenneth Kaunda Districts. Volunteer sampling was used for the female victims of partner abuse and purposive sampling for the entry-level social workers, managers and supervisors. To enhance triangulation and crystallisation, three data collection strategies were used: semi-structured interviews, World Café and focus groups. The exploratory phase included a literature review, individual semi-structured interviews with victims of female partner abuse, and World Café sessions with entry-level social workers to identify key elements for the draft victim empowerment strategy. Narrative inquiry guided the semi-structured interviews with female victims of partner abuse, using timelines and resource loss and gain spirals to gather rich data. A qualitative descriptive design informed the World Café process. In Phase 2, the development phase, the researcher compiled a draft victim empowerment strategy based on elements identified from literature, female victims of partner abuse and entry level social workers. Phase 3 focused on refinement and finalisation of the victim empowerment strategy. The draft strategy was sent to managers and supervisors ahead of focus group discussions. Suggestions for refinement from the focus group discussions were included in the previi final strategy that was emailed to the managers and supervisors for their final input. Adaptations were made, and the strategy was finalised. Thematic analysis identified five primary forms of abuse experienced by participants: emotional, economic, physical, psychological, and sexual. It was found that most female victims of abuse experienced overlapping forms of abuse, which severely affected their mental health, economic stability, and social well being. Emotional and psychological abuse were the most reported, often manifesting in manipulation, threats, and isolation. Economic abuse included financial control and restriction of access to employment. Physical and sexual abuse included acts of aggression, coercion, and humiliation. Victims faced systemic barriers when seeking support, including limited access to social services, inadequate police response, and lack of safe accommodation. It was evident that the female victims of partner abuse need emotional, practical and psychological support to facilitate recovery and regaining resources. Entry level social workers provided insights into victim empowerment strategies, needs, and challenges while supervisors and managers refined the mission, vision, objectives and various elements of the female victim empowerment strategy. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act 108 of 1996, provides a robust normative framework for addressing gender-based violence (GBV) by grounding protection in fundamental rights. Section 9 enshrines the principle of equality, prohibiting discrimination based on sex, gender, and sexual orientation, while Section 10 affirms the inherent dignity of every person, which GBV directly undermines. Section 12 guarantees freedom and security of the person, explicitly recognising the right to be free from all forms of violence, whether from public or private sources, and safeguarding bodily integrity and reproductive autonomy. Based on the findings, the study proposes a victim empowerment strategy aligned with the socio-cultural and institutional realities of the North West province, South Africa. Recommendations are directed towards various stakeholders, particularly social workers who are at the forefront in empowering female victims of abuse. For the police, the study emphasises increased visibility, specialised training, and victim-sensitive responses. The Department of Social Development should enhance psychosocial support services, strengthen referral systems, and develop victim and social worker capacity through ongoing training and capacity building sessions. The Department of Justice is urged to improve access to justice through simplified legal processes, protection orders, and legal aid for survivors. This study underscores the significance of adopting an integrated, bio-ecological approach in developing interventions and services for female victims of partner abuse. It calls for collaborative, multi-sectoral engagement to implement a sustainable and contextspecific victim empowerment strategy. The study contributes to social work practice, theory, and policy, addressing gender-based violence and victim support in a specific South African region.