| Summary: | South Africans live in a traumatized society where crime and violence are a big crisis. It is
specially farm attacks that in the recent time show an increase. At the moment there are 274
farmers per 100 000 of the population in comparison with for example 153 policemen per 100
000, that are being murdered each year.
In this study, a trauma counselling program is established, especially to give social support to
victims of farm attacks. There are different reasons why a trauma counselling program for
victims of farm attacks bas to be established:
Farm attacks increase rapidly, - more than any other crimes.
Farm attacks and - murder are brutal and gruesome.
The farm attackers focus on torture and the infliction of severe pain and suffering.
The fear that is inspired by this, leads to the termination of basic assumptions such as, that
people are invulnerable, that there is a reason for everything happening and that something good
will come forth. The termination of these basic assumptions lead to long term bio psychological
changes in the life of the victim, his/her family and loved ones that saw or heard about the
attack. This form of traumatization needs counselling.
The purpose of this research was to determine the traumatic experience and the needs of victims
after a farm attack. Through explanatory, descriptive, and exploratory evaluative research a way
to establish and to guide the victims to take control of their lives, on the same level of social
functioning as before the attack, is suggested. In this study the focus were on the following goals:
Knowledge has to be gathered about the intensity of the attack and post traumatic stress
reaction To achieve this aim a questionnaire for victims of farm attacks in the Northwest
province has been designed and completed. The results show that there is a need for a trauma
counselling program for victims of farm attacks.
A trauma counselling program was designed after the results of the questionnaire were
interpreted, other programs evaluated, and behavioural models studied The group work process
seems to be the most appropriate to implement.
The single system as method was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the designed
counselling program. The results showed that the program could be used successfully to bring
the necessary and desired changes in the lives of the victims of farm attacks === Thesis (Ph.D. (Social Work))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.
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