how do religious organisations support communities affected by gender-based violence in south africa
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South Africa (SA), a country with a long history of colonialism and apartheid is faced with the enormous problem of gender-based violence against women in intimate relationships and public spaces because of the intricacies of white supremacy and patriarchy. Research indicates that South African women live in one of the most religious – yet most violent - societies in the world. Around 90% of its population ascribe to religious practice. Studies indicate that one in four women find themselves in abusive relationships. Research also points out that while many victims/ survivors use faith as a coping mechanism and that they often approach their religious leaders and faith communities for help, perpetrators use easily misinterpreted scriptures, religious teachings and cultural practices to support abusive behaviour. Feminist theologians and practitioners note that although the rights discourse is an essential democratic value (in a post-apartheid South Africa), it is not in itself an effective intervention strategy in contexts where religion (embedded in culture) is a social determinant of hierarchical gender power-relations. Skewed gender-power relations are justified by suggesting that hierarchical gender power-relations are ‘ordered’ by God. The idea that gender equality is incompatible with traditional family values is also promoted within some conservative faith communities. The South African Faith and Family Institute (SAFFI), a multi-faith non-profit organisation was established in 2008 to address the faith dimensions of violence against women (VAW) and to be a resource to religious leaders and faith communities in advancing culturally informed strategies and interventions that promote equal and more loving relationships between intimate partners. This article will reflect on SAFFI’s work in the hope that it contributes to the broader pool of new thinking and debate on women’s rights and gender equality as it relates to local faith communities in the Western Cape, South Africa.
- In South Africa, the religious organisation, the Southern Province African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (S.P.A.M.E. Zion Church) is a community organization with a membership of some 150,000 people. S.P.A.M.E.
- Zion Church is the largest Methodist Church in the Southern Province of South Africa.
- The church was started in 1885.
- The church is a member of the Southern Africa Regional Conference (SARCR) which is the umbrella body for churches in the southern region of Africa.
- It was not until the early 1930s that the S.P.A.M.E. Zion Church began to actively involve itself in the apartheid struggle.
- Initially, that took the form of a protest march through downtown Johannesburg in September 1931, and for the following three years, S.P.A.M.E.
- Zion church members protested and picketed at segregated gatherings throughout the country.
- In South Africa, communities are forced to cope with the violence in a context of social norms and cultural practices that often reinforce gender-based violence (GBV) and sexual violence as a way of life (Diamond, 2014).
- Cultural and religious leaders are a vital part of a community’s overall response to gender-based violence.
- The quality of a community’s response to the root causes of violence is highly dependent upon the quality of the leadership and the practices within the community.
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