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    Struggling with systems : refuge workers accounts of domestic violence service provision : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2005) Hindle, Shelly
    Domestic violence is thought to be at epidemic levels in New Zealand and is considered a priority in the health care sector. This research explored the topic of domestic violence service provision from the perspectives of nine Women's Refuge advocates. The participants views and opinions, and my interpretations of the participants stories, do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of the National Collective of Independent Women's Refuges. The data, in the form of interview transcripts, was analysed from a feminist standpoint and Sarbin's conceptualisation of narrative analysis was utilised. Findings from the analysis suggest that there are still many barriers to both providing and accessing service provision for D.V. related issues. The Refuge advocates expressed concerns about other organisations/agencies apparent lack of education/training in D.V., different views of D.V., and negative views of Refuge. They commented on the lack of links between organisations/agencies, the problematic systems of other service providers and the resulting propensity to subject women to structural violence. These outcomes have also been found in other literature, suggesting that despite implementation of various government initiatives, there still appear to be problems within this field of service provision. The advocates also discussed the difficulties they experience within their own jobs and further research is suggested to address this issue.
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    Police discourses on policing domestic violence : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Arts in Psychology at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2001) Oliver, Debra Lee
    Explicit statements regarding the unacceptable use of violence against intimate partners have been advanced within New Zealand society in recent years. The adoption of an arrest policy in 1987 by the New Zealand Police, the Domestic Violence Act 1995 and an extensive media campaign all unequivocally asseverate such violence is a crime and will not be tolerated. However, domestic violence continues to be a serious problem in New Zealand. This research forms part of a larger, ongoing research project, which addresses domestic violence from the perspective of its victims, offenders and other service and intervention providers. This project explores police officers' experience of policing domestic violence using discourse analysis. The methodological approach stems from a social constructionist paradigm, which postulates that language is active and constructive in maintaining, contesting and transforming social reality. To this end, 12 front line officers were interviewed to discuss domestic violence, the Family Violence Policy, and some of the controversial issues that have arisen from previous research in this area that have plagued the policing of domestic violence. The interviews were transcribed and a discourse analysis was used to identify shared social resources or discourses used by police officers in their understanding of domestic violence, the people encountered in its policing and the problems experienced in relation to the pro-arrest policy. Officers made use of a variety of, often contradictory, discourses in their understanding of domestic violence, the people involved in it and their role in policing it. While the analysis suggests officers continue to draw on discourses that blame victims and exonerate offenders, it also points to a discursive shift in police discourses on policing domestic violence, particularly with regard to its seriousness and dangerousness, the importance of policing it and the utility of arrest.
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    The reported incidence of domestic violence in pregnancy : interrelationships with substance use and birthweight : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Midwifery at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2003) Roodt, Cornelia Adriana
    In a prospective non-experimental design, the purpose of the study was to answer the question of what the incidence of domestic violence would be in a cohort of pregnant Waikato women aged 18 years and older. Two hypotheses were included for testing, which were a) domestic violence by itself during pregnancy is associated with lower birthweights and b) domestic violence in combination with substance use during pregnancy are associated with lower birthweights. Twelve midwives participated as interviewers and recruited 105 women to the study. Two research instruments were used. The Abuse Assessment Screen (AAS), a reliable five-question abuse-focused screen and a questionnaire to collect demographic data and substance use habits. The AAS was administered in a personal interview by the LMC and the questionnaire was self-administered. Data was to be collected from each participant on three occasions. However, the research tools were administered three times in only 26.6% (n=28) of cases. Data was analysed by using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS Version 10). The following findings emerged: • The reported incidence of domestic violence during pregnancy was found to be 7.8% in a Waikato cohort of 105 women aged 18 years and older. • Both hypotheses were rejected based on statistical t-tests • Historic and recent abuse are strongly associated with abuse during pregnancy. • Women who disclosed historic abuse are significantly more likely to smoke • Women who smoke are significantly more likely to have lower birthweight babies. The multiple limitations of the study precluded the ability to extrapolate the findings nationally. This study merely opened the door on the issues of abuse during pregnancy and its sequelae in one New Zealand context.