Faith-based interventions in addressing violence against women in Cape Town

Chirongoma, Fungai

Faith-based interventions in addressing violence against women in Cape Town

Doctoral Thesis

2021

Abstract

Violence against women is a social reality in South Africa. In 2014, the country was named the world rape capital by media and humanitarian organizations because of the intensity of violence. Several legal reforms have been put in place to address such violence, which include the Domestic Violence Act 116 of 1998 and the establishment of Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences investigations units across all South African Police Services stations. However, because of the persistence of violence against women, it appears these laws and policies have not been successful in addressing the problem. As representatives of religion in the public sphere, Faith Based Organisations (FBOs) have also responded to the problem of violence against women. In this thesis, I study the interventions of Ihata Shelter, a Muslim organisation, St Anne's Homes, a Christian organisation, and South African Faith & Family Institute (SAFFI), a multi-faith-based organisation, in responding to violence against women in Cape Town, South Africa. Ihata Shelter and St Anne's Homes have established shelters to offer support to victims of abuse, and SAFFI provides education and training on violence against women to religious leaders and religious communities. Guided by Van Gennep's rite of passage theory, I argue that these organisations follow the model of a rite of passage in their interventions. I explain how the three stages of a rite of passage (separation, transition and incorporation) are embodied in these three organisations' interventions. My findings reflect that some of the women who had undergone the shelter programmes transformed from a state of trauma caused by abuse to a state of healing and empowerment, while some religious leaders transformed from a state of non-involvement to a state of positive engagement and action in addressing violence against women after undergoing SAFFI's teachings and trainings. Overall, I conclude that the work of these FBOs in addressing violence against women reflects the continued presence of religion in the public sphere and its role in addressing social problems.

Keywords

Religious Studies

Reference:

Collections

PhD / Doctoral

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