lived experiences of women with non-facial scarring

335 Pages·2014·2.7 MB·English

by  Lee Kofman

Marked Body Surface:
Lived experiences of women with non-
facial scars

Dissertation
Presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Doctor
of Philosophy in School of Global, Urban and Social Studies of
RMIT University
by Lee Kofman, BSW & MA (the University of Melbourne)

Submitted on November 2013
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‘For far too long the attention has been on denouncing
“perfect” bodies. It’s time we turned to investigating the
feelings, the experiences and the sheer diversity of
imperfect ones,’
Elspeth Probyn 2004
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Declaration

I certify that:
a) except where due acknowledgement has been made, the work is that of the candidate
alone;
b) the work has not been submitted previously, in whole or in part, to qualify for any
other academic award;
c) the content of the thesis is the result of work which has been carried out since the
official commencement date of the approved research program;
d) any editorial work, paid or unpaid, carried out by a third party is acknowledged;
e) ethics procedures and guidelines have been followed.

Signed by Lee Kofman ______________________
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Acknowledgements
This thesis would have never happened without the constant generous support of
my husband, Daryl Efron, who far exceeded all my preconceived notions about what
‘supportive husbands’ do for their PhD-minded wives. I thank Daryl for all his wise
advice, for encouraging me during those many times when I was contemplating giving up
on this project, for all the child-minding and tea-making he has done, and above all - for
his love.
I also thank my parents, Geula and Avraham Kofman, who taught me to think for
myself and that education is paramount, and mother-in-law Barbara Efron, who provided
me with the sanctuary of her apartment to hide from the world during the final months
before the thesis submission. My gratitude goes to Bradley Dawson for his insightful
editorial assistance - his intelligence, meticulous eye and finely-tuned sensibility for
language were indispensable. I am also grateful to Associate Professor Lynette Joubert
from the University of Melbourne for inviting me to present this study at a peer-reviewed
workshop held in October 2013. It was useful in the final stages of my PhD to receive
peer review feedback from a national audience of experts in social work and mental
health.
Finally, I thank from the bottom of my heart my terrific supervisors who so
astutely guided me through the years of this research with all the difficulties and
numerous crises of confidence I experienced. I am grateful to Professor Pavla Miller, my
second supervisor, for inspiring me to do a more adventurous job than I’d have otherwise
done, particularly in terms of my choice of creative methods, and for teaching me how to
navigate more confidently through the pitfalls of theoretical rhetoric and to think more
independently as a scholar. As to Associate Professor Jenny Martin, my primary
supervisor, it was her relentless support and belief in me from the very conception of this
study to the last months when I was struggling to bring it to completion while often
balancing my baby son on my lap, that kept me going. I thank her for her wisdom, the
countless hours she spent on reading, re-reading and discussing my work, and her
inspiring kindness.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract ...................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Chapter One – Scars: a Disembodied Body? ............................................................................. 3
Chapter Two – The Rise of Body Surface............................................................................... 25
Chapter Three – Disfigured Body Surface: Psychological Framings ......................................... 55
Chapter Four – Investigating Body Surface ............................................................................ 86
Chapter Five – Being Marked .............................................................................................. 134
Chapter Six – Doing Scar-Work .......................................................................................... 171
Chapter Seven – Travelling Marked through Life ................................................................. 204
Chapter Eight – Unmet Needs ............................................................................................. 222
Chapter Nine – Final Notes upon Marked Body Surface ........................................................ 235
References ......................................................................................................................... 257
List of tables .................................................................................................................................... vi
List of figures ................................................................................................................................. vii
List of photos ................................................................................................................................ viii
List of appendices ............................................................................................................................ ix

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LIST OF TABLES
Table one: Participant characteristics ......................................................................................... 108
Table two: Scar locations ............................................................................................................ 110
Table three: Aetiology of scars ................................................................................................... 160
Table four: Distress levels across age groups ............................................................................. 211
Table five: The age of scars ........................................................................................................ 216

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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure one: The Research Process .............................................................................................. 104
Figure two: The Grounded Theory of Lived Experiences of Women with Non-facial Scars .... 133
Figure three: Being Marked core category ................................................................................. 135
Figure four: Doing Scar-Work category ..................................................................................... 171
Figure five: Converting Scars into Tools sub-category .............................................................. 186
Figure six: Positive Reframing sub-category ............................................................................. 192
Figure seven: Travelling Marked Through Life category .......................................................... 204
Figure eight: Unmet Needs category .......................................................................................... 222
Figure nine: Institutional Sensitivity sub-category ..................................................................... 227

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LIST OF PHOTOS
Photo one: Candice, 25 years old, with four abdominal scars .................................................... 136
Photo two: Self-harm scars ......................................................................................................... 144
Photo three: One of Nelly’s numerous scars ............................................................................... 146
Photo four: Liz’s scar from an appendectomy ............................................................................ 148
Photo five: Karen who has burns on 70 per cent of her body ..................................................... 153
Photo six: An example of severe scarring ................................................................................... 158
Photo seven: Scars resulting from road trauma........................................................................... 160
Photo eight: A scar from gallbladder removal ............................................................................ 163
Photo nine: A scar from cosmetic surgery which resulted in complications .............................. 166
Photo ten: Lola’s wrist scars ....................................................................................................... 174
Photo eleven: Bronwyn’s arm scar ............................................................................................. 179
Photo twelve: A scar in a naturally hidden location ................................................................... 183
Photo thirteen: Sarah’s scar from the removal of a pre-cancerous ovary ................................... 187
Photo fourteen: Liz’s self-portrait ............................................................................................... 189
Photo fifteen: Madeleine’s scar from surgery following a car accident ..................................... 193
Photo sixteen: Hannah’s scarring ................................................................................................ 198
Photo seventeen: One of Rosa’s scars......................................................................................... 207
Photo eighteen: Anne’s scar ........................................................................................................ 210
Photo nineteen: Scars of a 49-year-old participant ..................................................................... 213
Photo twenty: A 48-year-old scar ............................................................................................... 217
Photo twenty-one: Ophelia’s scars .............................................................................................. 225
Photo twenty-two: Some of Shirley’s scars ................................................................................ 228
Photo twenty-three: Some of Lora’s scars .................................................................................. 232

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LIST OF APPENDICES
Appendix One ............................................................................................................................. 301
Appendix Two .................................................................................................................. 302
Appendix Three .............................................................................................................. 303
Appendix Four ............................................................................................................... 306
Appendix Five ................................................................................................................. 308
Appendix Six .................................................................................................................. 310
Appendix Seven .............................................................................................................. 312
Appendix Eight ............................................................................................................... 313

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