Masters Degrees (Political Science)

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Browsing Masters Degrees (Political Science) by Subject "Abused women -- South Africa -- Western Cape"

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    A comparative study of the influence of state funding on shelter resources in the Western Cape and its perceived effectiveness.
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2022-04) Minnie, Leandri; Gouws, Amanda; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Political Science.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The researcher nominated to apply an exploratory research design, descriptive in nature, that utilised a mixed-method approach to gather information that delivered insight and knowledge regarding how state funding influences resource and service provision in shelters for abused women. This study was motivated by the under-researched nature of how state funding regulates resource and service provision in shelters for abused women and whether these regulations have an effect on the quality of the resources and services provided. The goal of this study was to achieve a greater understanding of how state funding influences resource and service provision in state funded shelter by comparing the interventions offered in a state funded shelter to that of a non-state funded shelter to enable women a safe exit. One state funded shelter and one non-state funded shelter was approached to gain access to the two population groups necessary to conduct the research. The first population being the staff members at the shelter in charge of funding acquisition and resource and service provision, and the second population being the women survivors of IPV that utilised the resources and services provided in the shelters. Data was gathered through semi-structured interviews in the qualitative sample and a structured questionnaire in the quantitative sample. The results achieved by this study indicated that state funding does influence how state funded shelters provide resources and services to women survivors of IPV however, this influence was not meaningful in terms of the quality of services provided, when compared to the resource and service provision achieved by a non-state funded shelter in the same province. State regulations were at times detrimental to the success achieved by women survivors of IPV regarding their ability to create a better life free from abuse. The limitation placed upon a woman’s permitted duration of stay at the state funded shelter and the state funded shelter not having enough time or resources to secure suitable housing or adequate employment for their clients before they had to exit the shelter, were regarded as hindrances to a woman’s ability to creating a better life. The non-state funded shelter had a longer and more flexible permitted duration of stay, which allowed their clients the time to find suitable housing and adequate employment before exiting the shelter. The recommendations made to the South African government was to reconsider the timeframe placed upon the permitted duration of stay at state funded shelters, as well as restructuring the VEP to include multiple government departments in the empowerment of women survivors of IPV. The researcher also recommended that future studies determine whether the findings of this study can be generalised, as well as whether the VEP could be a multi-departmental undertaking regarding the current housing and employment legislation being implemented.