However, hard as it might be to believe, some crime victims experience positive growth. This was one of the findings of Siphiwe Moshugi, a master’s graduate from the North-West University (NWU).
Siphiwe’s study titled “Posttraumatic growth of violent crime victims in a high crime area in South Africa”, aimed to identify which factors enable or inhibit crime victims from experiencing posttraumatic growth.
She completed her research under the supervision of Prof Chrizanne van Eeden from the Faculty of Humanities.
The real price of crime
Siphiwe interviewed 11 victims of violent crime from the Cosmo City Baptist Church. “I selected individuals who are based in Cosmo City, because of the high levels of crime that have been reported in the area,” she says.
Her study found that although the victims had all fallen prey to violent crimes, posttraumatic growth manifested in different ways, with strong individual variations and even some benefits. Some participants reported finding a deeper sense of self, a greater closeness in relationships with others and a different philosophy of life.
Violent crimes had a negative impact on some participants and they used various defence mechanisms to deal with their trauma. “Some participants’ growth was hindered by complicated relationships they have with others, as well as a sense of guilt, helplessness and loneliness,” says Siphiwe.
She adds that some participants in the study experienced recurring fears related to the incident of trauma and had difficulty dealing with feelings of anger, bitterness, hatred and loss of trust in humanity. This also lessened their appreciation of life.
“Although some of the participants are still struggling with the aftermath of trauma, they have experienced meaningful growth,” she says.
An elated Siphiwe Moshugi after graduating with a master’s degree from the NWU.
