Petersen, Inge.Singh, Ashmin Devikosha.2013-06-042013-06-0420022002http://hdl.handle.net/10413/9074Thesis (M.A.)-University of Durban-Westville, 2002.The spate of people with body piercings has drastically increased, yet research on this issue has been frugal. This research was undertaken to develop an understanding of the meanings that multiple body piercings has for women, specifically in terms of their experiences of piercing. Moreover, an emphasis was placed on attaining the participants' experiences of their (i)dentity(ies), and body image in terms of their piercings. A hermeneutic phenomenology methodology was used to develop this understanding premised upon the participants' experiences of multiple body piercings. The sample consisted of six women participants. Their ages ranged from twenty-one to twenty-eight. Interviews conducted, were transcribed verbatim. The interpretation of the data, was informed by a feminist psychoanalytic perspective. There were four themes overall. The over-arching theme that subsequently emerged, was that of Defence(s) against Loss, the second theme was that of (I)dentity, the third was Piercings and Femininity, and finally, the fourth theme was that of Control. Each of the themes were further broken down into significant sub-themes.en-ZAPsychoanalysis.Self.Personality.Body piercing.Theses--Psychology.Thesis