‘Forgiveness not good for all women’

● Forgiveness is a good thing, right? Not always, according to research just published in the South African Journal of Science.

In many cases of women experiencing violence at the hand of their partners, “forgiveness” is often a bridge to more abuse.

The study focused on 515 women between the ages of 18 and 77, with a race profile that matched the population at large.

“An abundance of research supports the mental and physical health benefits of forgiveness, suggesting forgiveness should be encouraged,” said the research team led by Richard Cowden from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

But in specific contexts “the drawbacks may negate or outweigh its advantages”. It could contribute to the “continuation of the victim-perpetrator abuse cycle” as victims who forgave were more likely to return to abusive partners after leaving them.

The new study is of particular concern in a country where intimate-partner violence is a leading cause of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Survivors of violence often never fully recover, according to Professor Ugasvaree Subramaney, a South African Society of Psychiatrists member who heads the psychiatry department at Wits University.

“Almost 75% of South Africans have experienced at least one traumatic event in their lifetimes,” she said. “Intimate-partner violence is one of the most frequent [24.3%], at a similar level to the likelihood of being the victim of any crime in general.”

PTSD sufferers are 80% more likely to develop other mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety or substance abuse.

Without treatment, “symptoms of PTSD can continue for years, especially where victims have continued exposure to the traumatic situation, such as having to live with the perpetrator, or going through a drawnout court case”, said the society.