Vicarious traumatisation experiences among South African Police Service members in a rural setting: An exploratory study

The objective of this study was to explore the vicarious traumatisation experiences of South African Police Service members serving in a rural community. The participants consisted of 17 purposively selected police members (females = 4; age range 27 to 55; average years of police service = 10.6 years). Unstructured face-to-face interviews were conducted on the members’ experiences with trauma events where they were called upon to provide police services. Additionally, field notes, telephone follow-ups, and diaries were used to collect data from the members. The data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological approach guidelines. Findings show the police members to report their outlook on life to change from viewing work-life as routine and impersonal, to viewing it as involved and personal. The police members also reported psychological disorientation and being in a sense of stupor from exposure to traumatic cases. Finally, the police members self-reported empathetic experiences with the survivors as concerned citizen parents.     

The Experiences of Rural VhaVenda Women Involved in Polygamous Marriages

The study explored the experiences of five rural VhaVenda women involved in polygamous marriages aged between twenty seven and sixty four years. The five participants were selected through snowball sampling method from four villages in Vhembe District (Limpopo Province). Data were analysed qualitatively using Mostyn's (1985) four phases of content analysis. Participants considered polygamous marriage among the vhaVenda to be a cultural phenomenon that has both positive and negative effects. On the positive side, the participants found polygamy to provide social support and to minimise divorce and promiscuity. On the negative side, polygamy was found to lower the quality of life for women involved in such a marriage arrangement. Other negative consequences associated with polygamy included feelings of distress and entrapment, the lack of control that these women have over their sexuality, the humiliation that they experience due to constant conflicts with co-wives, favouritism and neglect by husbands, and the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS because of the multiple relationships.