Browsing by Author "Multuri, Geoffrey"

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    Violence against Women A Challenge to Society and to the Church
    (Tangaza University College, 2000-02) Multuri, Geoffrey
    The violence against women is an internationally recognized problem. It is a gender violence which is nurtured by cultural and traditional aspects and has become a menace in our Kenya. It is a phenomenon with a wide range of impkations on the society and the church. It therefore needs proper study and action. While cultural and traditional beliefs are considered to be the mothers of the gender oppression and discrimination, yet some religious interpretations have decisively played a reasonable part in perpetuating the violence against women. Although men and women are created in the image of God with equal rights and entitled to enjoy equal justice yet it is clearly evident that women have been subjected to all types of oppression and exploitation from times immemorial. This is not an elaborated study on the phenomenon but the research throws light on the effects it has on society, church and the family. The study touches several types of violence against women and discloses various causes and effects of gender violence. Most of the material comes from the life experience, information and knowledge acquired by the researcher during a long period as a teacher in Central, Nyanza, Coast and Eastern Provinces. Other research materials, articles and books are similarly used in the study. This study emphasizes the challenge of the church to address this dehumanizing problem in a particular way. The church as the teacher needs to re examine her contribution to eradicate this menace and to embark on more endeavours within the umbrella of her pastoral evangelization to educate and to preach against the gender violence. Violence against women remains all pervasive. It is not limited to a specific class, geographical area or type of persons. Rather it cuts across social differences and status lines rich, poor, urban and rural, professional and illiterate young and old. The Article I of the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women defines violence as any action of gender based violence that results in or is likely to result In physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty whether occurring in public or private life/ . While talking about violence against women we must bear in mind the many forms of violence including domestic violence, battery by husbands or other male partners, rape, murder, genital mutilation, gender based violence by police and security forces, torture of detained women, violence against women during the armed conflict, incest, sexual harassment in schools and in the working places, forced pregnancy. forces marriages, forced abortion2 The gender discrimination gets its root from tradition, conservative cultural attitudes and religious interpretation& It is heart breaking to note how traditional and cultural assumptions about the gender roles within society are used to justifythe continued oppression and subordination of women. Indeed one cannot fail to discover how some practices performed In the name of culture and religion have played a decisive part in violating the rights of women. The gender violence has created untold misery and suffering to woman from the time immemorial. This violence manifests human injustice and encompasses every country and all types and classes of people. The objective of gender violence is meant to maintain the male domineering attitude at home and at public life. This brings about the disruption of women lives and denial of their options. It undermines their confidence and setf-esteem, it destroys their health physically and psychologically and undermines their involvement in societal participation. The violence against women is often caused and carried out by male persons who have some relationship with those women who are victims. These male oppressors include husbands, boyfriends, fathers, brothers and other close relatives. The gender violence is a deep manifestation of male chauvinism to dominate and to keep women in the state of subordination within the family circle and society at large. As a result of this day to day violence against women in the Kenyan soil many women have died in the hands of men in the homes, working places, in the colleges in lodgings and in many other situations. This crime and oppression is a violation of human rights and a social malice that demands total condemnation and it calls for attention of all citizens and the government. The gender violence is notoriously directed towards women because of their delicate sex. Violence against women is used to keep women in their place, to limit their opportunities to live, learn, and work, and to hamper their capabilities to organise and claim their rights. For that masculine and selfish oppression to materialize male as well as female from the childhood are persuaded and influenced through cultural domain to accept the gender violence as an integral part of the gender identity. This oppression which is articulated through various institutions is a malicious instrument which violates the women's personality and decency. In addition to that the violence against the feminine population in Kenya has been a major hindrance to women to participate fully in the fields related to economic, social and political life_ Violence humiliates and intimidates women, fear of violence prevents many women from taking initiatives and organising their lives as they would choose.3 The violence against women is a strong male weapon to ensure that they comply with gender norms while religious beliefs have been used to legitimize the women's subordination in every tradition. Owing to gender violence women continue to suffer daily and live with unceasing threat or experience physical and sexual molestation. Violence against women remain widely unreported and therefore its incidence is not officially recorded. Many women though abused by men decline to report the violence they suffer because economically and socially they depend upon those men. In many instances when violence is reported the legal officials regard it as a private matter and fail to respond as they would to public violence and other forms of criminal assault. Some violence takes place in private spheres within families, homes and out of sight. Such violence is unreported and disguised by the victims and society. Hence because of a culture of silence that surrounds the cases of violence against women hinders the true picture. My paper will concentrate on three kinds of violence against women, namely domestic, cultural and sexual violence. In Chapter One I will talk about Domestic Violence. In Chapter two I will talk about Cultural Violence. In Chapter three I will talk about Sexual Violence. In Chapter Four I will present Conclusion and Personal Evaluation.