Regverdiging vir 'n ekologiese benadering tot geweld teenoor vroue in saamwoon- en huweliksverhouding

Abstract

An analysis violence against women in cohabiting and marital relationships is undertalem from an ecological perspective, in order to tune in scientifically founded social work service rendering to th e phenomenon. A linear approach to violence has been replaced with a more comprehensive, holistic perspective, which brings about an assessment of social problems and needs in int eractional terms, namely that violence is a result of maladjustment in the person and environment relationship. The phenomenon is approached as a symptom of dysfunctioning in the ecological system and as a result of the mutually influencing interactional processes that take place between the individual system and the ecological context. A variety of multifactoral, circular causal factors are identified by analysing four levels of the ecological system, namely the individual level, the family level, social structural level and; the socio-cultural level, but also of the levels' mutual influence upon one another. Based on the analysis, holistic, integrated and circular service rendering with reference to the phenomenon can be maintained.