A good wife? a theological challenge to cultural practices and gender-based violence in Rushinga, Zimbabwe

Abstract

Zimbabwe has been immersed in gender-based violence (GBV) for a very long time. Reports of cases of GBV, where women and female children are abused, dominate the print media, electronic media and social media. The laws of Zimbabwe are meant to address such challenges. Unfortunately, these laws often fail the women of Zimbabwe because of the misappropriation of culture by patriarchy. In this country, women account for most victims of all forms of domestic violence committed mainly by men who suffer from the effects of toxic masculinity and who have internalised the tenets of patriarchy. Therefore, if women are to be considered human beings too, there is a need to transform this understanding from a familial and societal level where this culture and tradition to manipulate women originates, and is perpetuated. Considering this realisation that change needs to start from a family and societal set-up, this thesis challenged the effects of cultural practices in perpetuating GBV and the way cultural practices exacerbate the physical, social, emotional and psychological scars and wounds that GBV leaves on women’s lives. While acknowledging that there is existing research related to this context, this thesis focuses on how tradition, culture and social norms have affected women and girls in Rushinga (Kore-Kore), Zimbabwe. The reason for this is that the district of Rushinga has not been included as a focus of existing studies and, as the study pointed out, there are challenges related to GBV in this context. A womanist perspective was utilised to approach the problem of how culture is used to undergird gender-based violence in a society with a strong traditional background and to explore traditional and cultural practices which exacerbate violence toward women. It is indicated that women are expected to be good wives, despite their experiences of GBV. A qualitative approach was followed in which data was gathered from fieldwork, which included interviews. The study found that traditional and cultural tendencies such as teaching a girl how to be a good mother and raising them with the idea that they should please men, make women vulnerable and expose them to violence. It is suggested that culture must be aligned within the societal and lawful context of the Constitution and the provisions of the Bill of Rights.