A Phenomenology of the Importance of Protection as It Relates to the Father and Daughter Relationship

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to better understand the lived experience of a father’s relationship with his daughter(s) and how the central theme of protection impacts that relationship. Protection will be generally defined as a father’s ability to provide boundaries physically, spiritually, and emotionally around his family, created by safety and trust, in developing stability for healthy development. General research questions include but are not limited to, what necessitates a family to need protection. What is the impact on a daughter when the father does not protect her? The purpose of this phenomenological study is to investigate the concept of protection in the father-daughter relationship and to primarily do so from the perspective of father participants at a community meeting location. The theory guiding this study is Attachment Theory in the framework of a Judeo-Christian worldview. A foundational principle in Attachment Theory is that those that provide safety and foster trust for an individual allow for positive and secure attachment bonds to occur. This is most crucial at an early age for the further development of a child. The methodology and data collection included one-on-one interviews with participatory fathers and a focus group with all participatory fathers.