MARITAL ABUSE OF ZIMBABWEAN WOMAN: A PASTORAL COUNSELLING. by MUZERENGWA ...

184 Pages·2017·5.6 MB·English

MARITAL ABUSE OF ZIMBABWEAN WOMAN: A PASTORAL COUNSELLING.
by
MUZERENGWA ENESTO

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of

MASTER OF THEOLOGY
in the subject

PRACTICAL THEOLOGY
at
UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA

SUPERVISOR: PROFESSOR J. A. MEYLAHN

AUGUST 2016

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Declaration
I, Enesto Muzerengwa declare that this dissertation is my original research carried out with
the guidance of my co-researchers. No part of this dissertation has been submitted to any
other educational institution for any qualification. All sources used have been acknowledged.

Sign: ------------------------------------- Date----------------------------------
Student

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Dedication
I dedicate this dissertation to all women who co- researched with me regarding this topic on
Marital abuse of Zimbabwean woman: A pastoral counselling and in particular my mothers
who experienced gender based domestic violence from my late father.

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Acknowledgement
I thank the Lord God for enabling me to complete this dissertation. I thank the following
organisations: Musasa Project, Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association (ZWLA) and Padare
(men’ forum on gender) who helped me identify co- researchers. I thank the co- researchers
for unveiling information openly.
I thank my mothers who are still surviving for providing me with information on this co-
research. Thank you my supervisor Professor Doctor Johann A. Meylahn for the supervision,
reading, suggestions and edition. Thank you for providing reading material for me and for
your encouragement. I thank the University of Pretoria staff and students who accommodated
me during my visit to the campus.
I am grateful to my friend Mr Gladman Makwenya and family who helped me with books,
information, time, suggestions and their patience. I thank Doctor Peter Gonda Musuka and
Professor Albert Muranda for unveiling medical information and material for this research.
To my family; my wife Priscilla Anesu, my sons Ernest, Emmanuel and Epiphany. My
brothers’ sons Tinashe, Kudzai and Reward Muzerengwa for proof reading my research. My
friend Reverend Decent Robert Mugari and his wife Promise for the use of the internet and

information. Brother in Christ Chaplain Goba of the Zimbabwe Republic Police for the

information, suggestions and encouragement. I thank Honourable Minister Nelson Chamisa
for his guidance on legal information in this research.
I thank honourable Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs (MP) Edgar Mbwembwe and his late
wife Tsitsi Yonkie for their support and encouragement. They were sources of inspiration and
motivation. I thank Mrs Sandra Duncan for editing and proof reading my research and the
assistance given by her husband Professor Graham Duncan. Thank you for the hard work,
you made my work perfect.
While I gratefully acknowledge the assistance of all the above mentioned people, I accept full
responsibility for the shortcomings of this research and welcome any suggestions for future
improvement.

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Abstract
This is a strange phenomenon in the present day and yet is happening. This study unpacked
the social, economic, cultural as well as religious factors that contribute to women staying in
abusive relationships. Research has been carried out reporting that women stay in abusive
relationships because of economic and social reasons, therefore this study has focused
specifically on the cultural and religious reasons why women stay in these relationships.
This study worked from a social- constructionist paradigm seeking to understand how within
cultural and religious communities the role of men and women, marriage and how gender
roles within marriages are understood, specifically from an African and Zimbabwean
perspective. What cultural and religious discourse shapes this understanding and keeps so
many women captive in abusive relationships? This is the main question that guided the
study. The co-researchers of this study came from organisations who work with survivors of
domestic violence.

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Terms and concepts
The concept of dare (Shona word for group conversations):
I take the concept of dare from the Shona culture. Men gathered around a fire to discuss
family and community issues. matare is the plural of dare.
Gender:
Perceived difference between men and women that is learnt through socialisation.
Understandings of gender dynamics are rooted in cultural beliefs and values and therefore
vary from society to society. Gender is based on social organisation and not biological
difference.
Sex Roles:
A biological assigned role in society, for example, a woman’s ability to carry a pregnancy
and is based on a biological difference between the sexes. Sex roles are few, fixed, universal
and determined by nature, not culture.
Gender Roles:

Men and women are given other perceived responsibilities through society. Gender roles are

many, dynamic, and varied. They are culturally and socially defined and prescribed. Certain
activities, tasks, and responsibilities are shaped and conditioned into masculine and feminine.
Other factors influence gender roles such as age, class, religion, ethnicity, race, regional
origins and history. There are many variations of these roles. Gender roles can be further
classified into four main categories, that is, reproductive, productive, community managing
and constituency based political roles.
Self-other
This is a participatory consciousness in which relational selves do not come to knowledge by
means of separation but by way of care and love.
Deconstruction
Procedures that subvert taken- for- granted realities and practices. These so- called “truths”,
those disembodied ways of speaking that hide their biases and prejudices and those familiar
practices of self and of relationship that are subjugating the lives people or Deconstruction is
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the shredding or setting apart of meanings from various texts of discourses. The specific texts
could be in the form of speech, written literature and gestures.
Patriarchy
The power of the fathers: a familial-social, ideological political system in which men- by
force, direct pressure, or through ritual, tradition, law and language, customs, etiquette,
education, and the division of labour determine what part women shall or shall not play, and
in which the female is everywhere subsumed under male domination.
Narrative therapy
It is a particular way of understanding people’s identities. It is sometimes known as involving
re-authoring or re-storying conversations. Stories consist of events, linked in sequence, across
time and according to a plot. A narrative is like a thread that weaves the events together,
forming a story.
Co-research
The process of unearthing and recording people’s insider knowledges is called ‘consulting’
your consultant. It involves the documentation of people’s knowledges and skills about

problems and ways of addressing them, so that this knowledge can be distributed to others.

Alternatively
Certain ways of understanding problems and their effects on people’s lives or speaking about
particular ways of talking with people about their lives and problems they may be
experiencing, or particular ways of understanding therapeutic relationships and the ethics or
politics of therapy.
Social constructionism
Persons or groups collectively form, over time in their interactions and contexts, ideas,
thoughts, beliefs, discourses, values, qualities, attitudes and practices which constitute their
lives.

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Narrative analysis and interpretation
Narrative analysis is a way of making sense of the stories people tell and re-tell. A narrative
researcher and participant(s) subject the externalised conversations to narrative analysis. The
narrative researcher and participant(s) then name and separate negative and positive identity
conclusions from a person’s story.

Unpacking
It is a way of researching with participants to question or break the broader ruling religious
ideas and practices through which they “see, talk and interpret” abusive stories.

Discourse
It is the systematic and institutionalised way(s) of speaking/writing or making sense through
language in specific disciplinary, political or cultural contexts.

Practical theology

It is a theological theory of Christians about communicative actions which mediate God’s
coming to people in the world through God’s word.
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Abbreviations
AIC: African Initiated Churches
AIDS: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
GDC: Gender Development Commission
GBDV: Gender Based Domestic Violence
HIV: Human Immune Deficiency Virus
HRDC: Humanitarian, Relief, and Development Commission
PLWHA: People Living With HIV and AIDS
SRH: Sexual and Reproductive Health
UN: United Nations
UNICEF: Unite Nations International Children Educational Fund
WHO: World Health Org anisation

WLSA: Women and Law in Southern Africa
ZCC: Zimbabwe Council of Churches
ZWLA: Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association

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Table of Contents
Declaration ............................................................................................................................................... i
Dedication ............................................................................................................................................... ii
Acknowledgement ................................................................................................................................. iii
Abstract .................................................................................................................................................. iv
Terms and concepts ................................................................................................................................. v
Abbreviations ....................................................................................................................................... viii
Table of Contents ................................................................................................................................... ix

1 Research Curiosities and Theoretical Concepts ............................................................................ 1
1.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1
1.2 Problem field ...................................................................................................................... 1
1.3 Research background ......................................................................................................... 3
1.3.1 Personal experience with polygamy ................................................................... 3
1.3.2 Experiences as a Minister of Religion ................................................................. 4
1.3.3 Exper ience as a Man ........................................................................................... 4
1.4 Research quest ion ............................................................................................................... 4
1.4.1 Research objectives ............................................................................................ 5
1.4.2 Research Question .............................................................................................. 6
1.5 Theoretical frameworks ...................................................................................................... 6
1.5.1 Social constructionism ........................................................................................ 6
1.5.2 Co-research approach ......................................................................................... 7
1.5.3 Theology .............................................................................................................. 8
1.6 Research Methodologies .................................................................................................... 8
1.7 Research Design ............................................................................................................... 10
1.8 Narrative interpretations ................................................................................................... 11
1.9 Research validity .............................................................................................................. 11
1.10 Research Procedure .......................................................................................................... 11
2 Literature Review ....................................................................................................................... 19
2.0 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 19
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