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CHAP1ER3
[48]
RELEVANTRESEARCH CONCERNINGTHE UFE-WORLD OFTHE ABUSED
CHILD
3.1 INTRODUCTION
Life-world is the Gestalt of the individual person's meaningful relationships. A
life-world is not conceivable apart from a person, since it is the totality of meanings
discovered or assigned by a person. No two people can have the same life-world. In
the same way, a child without a life-world is inconceivable. To constitute this life-world
he uses his genetic potential, instincts, passions, psychological abilities, etc. in a
particular cultural world, his norms and values being aligned with his ideals and
expectations, all constituted as one dynamic, interacting whole in which he is involved
and to which he assigns meaning (Vrey 1984 : 15).
According to Vrey (1984 : 21) the child must form relationships with his world because
he needs to orientate, survive and mature within this world. Buitendijk (1966)
characterises this ontic phenomenon by saying that the child "initiates" relationships.
By forming relationships, the child thus constitutes the life-world that forms his
psychological space and reality to which he is orientated. Van Niekerk (1987 : 7) noted
that through learning the child constantly raises the level upon which he communicates
with life and gives meaning to his world. Inlearning, the child will also constantly form
new relationships and improve the quality of existing relationships. Landman & Roos
(1973 : 143-147) state that the child in a dysfunctional educational situation, ( e.g. the
abused child) under-actualises his psychic life.
The abused child finds himselfwithin a dysfunctional educational situation. His actions
of ascnbing significance to matters, Le. the formation of meaningful relationships are
ofinsufficient quality. This gives rise to inadequate actions of hoping, planning, gaining
insight into himself, of never attaining the freedom to be responsible and thus also of