Christian Women’s Experiences of Domestic Violence in Zimbabwe

Abstract

This study investigated Zimbabwean Christian women who had experienced domestic violence with a view to finding out the forms of violence these women experienced at the hands of their male intimate partners. The qualitative investigation was informed by the feminist paradigm. Data were collected, by means of in-depth semistructured interviews, from 22 Christian women who were purposefully selected. The women were aged 18 and above and stayed in and around urban Masvingo, Zimbabwe. Data were analyzed thematically. The study revealed diverse but interrelated forms of domestic violence, namely, physical, verbal/emotional, sexual, and economic. Knowledge of forms of domestic violence could assist social workers to come up with relevant intervention strategies to curb domestic violence. Further research going beyond the scope of the current one would enrich an understanding of domestic violence in the form of intimate partner violence.