AGAINST THE ODDS: STRENGTHS DISPLAYED BY ABUSED WOMEN

Abstract

Although legislation protecting women’s rights in South Africa is well developed, statistics indicate that violence against women has become the norm. There are no cultural, socio-economic, political, religious or educational boundaries to domestic violence. Despite this, some abused women display certain strengths. The strengths perspective is thus a suitable theoretical approach for this qualitative study exploring and describing the strengths of twenty abused women who formed the sample. Five strengths – namely hope, resilience, pride, healing and wholeness, and lastly personal qualities, traits and virtues – were identified. Some recommendations are made about the suitability of the strengths perspective for practice.