We find that peacekeeping veterans experience the time away from the children, concerns over infidelity and too little institutional support as difficult challenges, regardless of rank and gender.
We find differences between male and female peacekeepers in how they experience these difficulties. While the women are mostly worried over their childrens’ wellbeing, especially as the children often are in relatives’ custody during the mothers’ deployment period, the men are mostly concerned over the children’s discipline (or lack thereof).
Differences were also evident with regard to the partner’s infidelity, with female peacekeepers voicing a stronger concern. These gender differences should be understood in the social context of a strongly patriarchal South African society.