For Better or Worse Pedagogies of Premarital Counselling and Intimate Wife Abuse: An African Woman’s Interpretation
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Abstract
This article argues that intimate wife abuse and gender-based violence (GBV) is fuelled by premarital counselling. The extent to which Christian and traditional indigenous premarital counselling encourage GBV in marriage contexts by promoting “dangerous masculine and feminine” conceptualisation of marriage, is explored via an autoethnographical methodology and an African feminist critical
hermeneutics approach. Findings indicate that the pedagogies of the traditional and Christian premarital counselling are gendered in a way that promotes and justifies intimate wife abuse in marriage contexts complicating women’s struggle with GBV.
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References
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3 (2005): 239-243.
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http://www.arsrc.org/publications/uhsss/
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Kimuna, Sitawa. R. and Yanyi. K. Djamba. “Gender Based Violence: Correlates of Physical and Sexual Wife Abuse in Kenya.” Journal
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Sultana, Alam. “Patriarchy and Women’s Gender Identity: A Socio-Cultural Perspective.” Journal of Social Science 6, no. 1 (2010):
123-126.
Tamale, Sylvia. Women’s Sexuality as a Site of Control and Resistance: Views on the African Context. A paper presented at an
international conference on bride price, held at Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda (16-18 February 2004).
Tamale, Sylvia. “Exploring the Contours of African Sexualities: Religion, Law and Power.” African Human Rights Law Journal 14
(2014):150-177.
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Wangila, Mary N. Female Circumcision: The Interplay of Religion, Culture and Gender in Kenya. New York, NY: Orbis Maryknoll,
2007.
Weiler, Kathleen. Women Teaching for Change: Gender, Class and Power. New York, NY: Bergin & Garvey, 1988.
Babb, David. D. “An Assessment of Premarital Counselling Practices of Pastors of the Wesleyan Church.” Dissertation Abstracts
International 10 (1992).
Baloyi, Elijah. M. “An African View of Women as Sexual Objects as a Concern for Gender Equality: A Critical Study.” in Verbum et
Ecclesia 31, no. 1, (2010) Art. #380, 6 pages. DOI:10.4102/ve.v31i1.380.
Baloyi, Elijah. M. “Wife Beating Amongst Africans as a Challenge to Pastoral Care.” Die Skriflig/In Luce Verbi 47, no.1 (2013): Art.
#713, 10 pages. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/ids.v47i1.713.
Bevans, Stephen. Models of Contextual Theology, (Revised and Expanded Edition). Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 2002.
Chisale, Sinenhlanhla. S. “Love, Discipline, Punishment or Wife Battering: A View from Ubuntu.” Gender and Behaviour 14, no. 2
(forthcoming).
Dube, Musa W. “Feminist Theology ‒ Who do You Say that I Am?” Feminist Theology Journal 15 no. 3 (2007): 346-367.
Folkvord, Sigurd, Oystein. A Odegaard & Johanne Sundby. “Male Infertility in Zimbabwe.” Patient Education and Counselling 59, no.
3 (2005): 239-243.
Fortune, Marie. M., Salma Abugideiri and Rabbi. M. Dratch. “A Commentary on Religion and Domestic Violence.” Faith Trust
Institute (2010). www.faithtrustinstitute.org (Accessed 10 January 2016).
Gelsthorpe, Loraine and Alison Morris. Feminist Perspectives in Criminology. Buckingham: Open University Press, 1990.
Goodison, Ivor. Studying Teachers’ Lives. London: Routledge, 2013.
Kamaara, Eunice and Mary. N. Wangila. “Contextual Theology and Gender Reconstructions in Kenya.” Theologies and Cultures VI
no. 2 (2009), 110:133.
Kambarami, Maureen. “Femininity, Sexuality and Culture: Patriarchy and Female Subordination in Zimbabwe.” Understanding Human
Sexuality Seminar Series: Culture, Femininity and Sexuality, Africa Regional Sexuality Resource Centre (2006). Website:
http://www.arsrc.org/publications/uhsss/
Kanyoro, Musimbi. Introducing Feminist Cultural Hermeneutics: An African Perspective. Cleveland: The Pilgrim Press, 2002.
Kapolo, Mathews. “Premarital Pastoral Care and Counselling: A Quest for an African Model.” Word and World 21 no.2 (2001): 129-134.
Kimuna, Sitawa. R. and Yanyi. K. Djamba. “Gender Based Violence: Correlates of Physical and Sexual Wife Abuse in Kenya.” Journal
of Family Violence 23 (2008): 333-342.
Mashau, Thinandavha. D & Martha. T. Fredericks. “Coming of Age in African Theology: The Quest for Authentic Theology in African
Soil.” Exchange 37 (2008): 109-123.
Mbiti, John. S. African Religions and Philosophy. London: Longman, 1969.
McGrath, Carey. “Premarital Counselling: Hierarchical and Egalitarian.” Priscilla Papers Autumn 26, no. 4 (2012): 5-9.
Moyo, Fulata. L. “Religion, Spirituality and Being a Woman in Africa: Gender Construction within the African Religio-Cultural
Experiences.” Agenda 18, no. 61 (2004): 72-78.
Moyo, Fulata. L. “The Red Beads and White Beads: Malawian Women’s Sexual Empowerment in the HIV/AIDS Era.” Journal of
Constructive Theology 11, no.1 (2005): 53-66.
Murray, Christine E. “Which Topics are Important to Address in Premarital Counselling? A Survey of Clergy.” Journal of Pastoral
Care & Counselling 60, nos. 1-2 (2006): 69-81.
Ngundu, Onesimus A. “Mission Churches and African Customary Marriage: A History of Church Marriages and a Case for an
African Christian Customary Marriage Ceremony.” Africa Journal of Evangelical Theology 30, no. 1 (2011): 35-53.
Oduyoye, Mercy A. Introducing African Women’s Theologies. London: Sheffield Academic Press, 2001.
Owino, Kennedy. “‘Maleness’ and its Possible Influence on Abuse and Domestic Violence in South Africa: A Critique of Some
Expressions of Evangelical Theology.” Journal of Constructive Theology 16, no 2 (2010): 146-168
Pateman, Carole. The Sexual Contract. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1988.
Phiri, Isabel A. “Why Does God Allow our Husbands to Hurt Us? Overcoming Violence Against Women.” Journal of Theology for
Southern Africa 114 (2002): 19-30.
Phiri, Isabel. A & Sarojini Nadar. “What’s in a Name? Forging a Theoretical Framework for African Women’s Theologies.” Journal
of Constructive Theology 12 no. 2 (2006): 5-24.
Rosewarne, Lauren. Cheating on the Sisterhood: Infidelity and Feminism. California: Praeger, 2009.
Rothman, Barbara. K. “Beyond Mothers and Fathers: Ideology in a Patriarchal Society.” In Mothering, Ideology & Agency edited by N.
Evelyn, Grace Glenn, Chang & Linda. R, Forcey, 139-158. New York, NY: Routledge, 1994.
Shangase, Ntombikayise. “Sexual Harassment and Culture.” In Silent No Longer: The Church Responds to Sexual Violence, edited by S.
Rakoczy, 23-26 Pietermaritzburg: Joint Publication of Lumko Institute, Pietermaritzburg Agency for Christian Social Awareness,
National Justice and Peace Commission and Theological Advisory Commission, 2000.
Siwila, Lilian. “In Search of a Feminist Cultural Analysis Model for Effective Dialogue on Harmful Cultural Practices.” Journal of
Gender and Religion in Africa, Special Issue 18, no. 2 (2012): 105-120.
Smith, Dorothy. The Everyday World as Problematic: A Feminist Sociology. Milton Keynes: Open University Press, 1988.
Sultana, Alam. “Patriarchy and Women’s Gender Identity: A Socio-Cultural Perspective.” Journal of Social Science 6, no. 1 (2010):
123-126.
Tamale, Sylvia. Women’s Sexuality as a Site of Control and Resistance: Views on the African Context. A paper presented at an
international conference on bride price, held at Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda (16-18 February 2004).
Tamale, Sylvia. “Exploring the Contours of African Sexualities: Religion, Law and Power.” African Human Rights Law Journal 14
(2014):150-177.
Wall, Sarah. “An Autoethnography on Learning about Autoethnography.” International Journal of Qualitative Methods 5, no. 2, (2006).
http://www.ualberta.ca/~iiqm/backissues/5_2/pdf/wall.pdf (Accessed 9 August 2015).
Wangila, Mary N. Female Circumcision: The Interplay of Religion, Culture and Gender in Kenya. New York, NY: Orbis Maryknoll,
2007.
Weiler, Kathleen. Women Teaching for Change: Gender, Class and Power. New York, NY: Bergin & Garvey, 1988.
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Jul 1, 2016
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For Better or Worse: Pedagogies of Premarital Counselling and Intimate Wife Abuse: An African Woman’s Interpretation. (2016). African Journal of Gender and Religion, 22(1), 55-69. https://doi.org/10.14426/ajgr.v22i1.1493
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For Better or Worse: Pedagogies of Premarital Counselling and Intimate Wife Abuse: An African Woman’s Interpretation. (2016). African Journal of Gender and Religion, 22(1), 55-69. https://doi.org/10.14426/ajgr.v22i1.1493