PhD thesis (Massey University, Manawatū)

Family violence continues with a ferocious tenacity to impact on the lives of many people. This study brings voices with insight and understanding, spanning decades of experience, that highlight how much work is still to be done to eliminate family violence from Aotearoa New Zealand. Yet it also testifies to exciting developments, tells stories of success and envisions futures that not only involve surviving but also dare to reach for thriving. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was used to gather understandings from nine participants, who shared a common experience of facilitating stopping violence programmes as well as a diversity of other experiences regarding family violence, and five consultants with expert knowledge in areas related to family violence such as child advocacy, integrated practice and kaupapa Māori responses. A two-stage process took place where findings from stage one were shared with others in stage two for their feedback and elaboration. Qualitative interviews were conducted in both stages and analysed through an idiographic, iterative coding process focusing on meaning and interpretation to produce understandings of the research contributors’ experiences. This process resulted in six superordinate themes with associated subordinate themes. The first three superordinate themes elaborate understandings of the conditions of abuse, in environments of marginalisation; the particular experiences of children and young people living the experience, yet too often silenced despite the valuable lessons they can teach us; and the many barriers to seeking help faced by adults experiencing abuse in the eye of the storm. The fourth theme highlights the way in which people impacted by abuse are experiencing the disconnection of help, in the shadow of empire builders. This manifests in a response system that creates barriers to comprehensive support, excluding key people, agencies, or cultural contributions; silencing voices of experience, and consequently formulating disconnected, ineffective solutions. Yet contributors also recognise significant successes and how going for gold creates many effective strategies and innovations, achieved through the hard work of dedicated people. The final superordinate theme draws together learnings, articulating a process that opens up to hermeneutics of the heart in which it becomes possible to avoid hostile reactions, victim blaming and disconnection through discovering the rhythm of families and enabling responsive work at the heart of the matter. (Author's abstract). Record #7209