The victim's experience of hijacking: an exploratory study: research

Abstract

This paper summarises a phenomenological study that was designed to explore the victim's lived experience of undergoing a motor vehicle hijacking. The aim of the study was to add to the knowledge and understanding of this complex phenomenon. The design of the study was qualitative. Data was collected through in-depth unstructured interviews with four people who had very recently been hijacked. The interviews were recorded on audiotape and transcribed verbatim for each subject. Both intra-individual and inter-individual analyses of the data were conducted. This paper presents a discussion of the findings of common and contrasting themes and patterns. The nature of the victim's experiences during, immediately after and in the days following the hijacking trauma is elucidated. This information can contribute towards building a theoretical framework for understanding the victim's experience of motor vehicle hijacking.



Hierdie artikel verskaf 'n oorsig oor 'n fenomenologiese studie wat ontwerp is om die slagoffer se geleefde ervaring van 'n motorkaping te ondersoek. Die doel van die studie was om by te dra tot die kennis and begrip van die komplekse verskynsel. Die ontwerp van die studie was kwalitatief. Data is versamel deur indiepte, ongestruktureerde onderhoude met vier persone wat onlangs gekaap is. Die onderhoude is opgeneem op oudioband en verbatim getranskribeer vir elke persoon. Beide intra-individuele en inter-individuele ontledings van die data is gedoen. In die artikel word die bevindings ten opsigte van gemeenskaplike en kontrasterende temas aangebied. Die aard van die ervarings tydens, direk daarna en in die dae na die kaping word bespreek. Die inligting kan bydra tot die vorming van 'n teoretiese raamwerk ten einde die slagoffer se ervaring van 'n motorkaping te verstaan.


(Health SA Gesondheid: interdisciplinary research journal: 2002 7(1): 33-45)