A study of gender violence and its effects on married women : a case study of women at three centres in Lusaka district - YWCA, WLSA and National Legal Aid Clinic for Women
type: CreativeWork
description: Violence against women is widespread and global but is hidden as most of it goes on unreported. Violence is tolerated and accepted by most societies and cultures world wide and Zambia is no exception. In Zambia, violence has been exacerbated by some aspects of the customs and traditions, socio economic difficulties and to some degree, by law.This study was undertaken to analyse, describe, and establish the effects and patterns of gender based violence experienced by married women, and given these patterns and effects, explains its existence and suggest ways of mitigating it. This study was undertaken in May and June, 2006. Data was collected qualitatively using interview guides. A sample of women was drawn from three centres; YWCA, WLSA and National Legal Aid Clinic for Women. A sample of 40, consisting of 32 women and 8 key informants was used for this study. The study identified common forms of violence as wife battery, abandonment, infidelity and tolerance of gender violence by the law. Other specific forms that emerged during the interviews were forced sex, forced child bearing, mental torture and rape. The reasons for this violence were due to a number of factors. Husbands were obsessed with jealousy and suspected that their wives were committing adultery. There was also lack of communication between couples. Some aspects of cultural and traditional practices like paying bride price also led to abuse. There also was poor enforcement of the law as the law enforcers are biased and reluctant to prosecute perpetrators. Other reasons were the husbands' need to control their wives and difficult economic and social conditions. The impact of this violence caused emotional, psychological and mental damage to all involved, scarring and shattering the lives of the victims. These women experienced low self esteem, depression, abuse of children and risk of HIV/AIDS. These effects led to suicide attempts, miscarriages, disfigurements, insanity and compromised the women's hea…
abstract: Violence against women is widespread and global but is hidden as most of it goes on unreported. Violence is tolerated and accepted by most societies and cultures world wide and Zambia is no exception. In Zambia, violence has been exacerbated by some aspects of the customs and traditions, socio economic difficulties and to some degree, by law.This study was undertaken to analyse, describe, and establish the effects and patterns of gender based violence experienced by married women, and given these patterns and effects, explains its existence and suggest ways of mitigating it. This study was undertaken in May and June, 2006. Data was collected qualitatively using interview guides. A sample of women was drawn from three centres; YWCA, WLSA and National Legal Aid Clinic for Women. A sample of 40, consisting of 32 women and 8 key informants was used for this study. The study identified common forms of violence as wife battery, abandonment, infidelity and tolerance of gender violence by the law. Other specific forms that emerged during the interviews were forced sex, forced child bearing, mental torture and rape. The reasons for this violence were due to a number of factors. Husbands were obsessed with jealousy and suspected that their wives were committing adultery. There was also lack of communication between couples. Some aspects of cultural and traditional practices like paying bride price also led to abuse. There also was poor enforcement of the law as the law enforcers are biased and reluctant to prosecute perpetrators. Other reasons were the husbands' need to control their wives and difficult economic and social conditions. The impact of this violence caused emotional, psychological and mental damage to all involved, scarring and shattering the lives of the victims. These women experienced low self esteem, depression, abuse of children and risk of HIV/AIDS. These effects led to suicide attempts, miscarriages, disfigurements, insanity and compromised the women's hea…
author: Mtonga, Wazilinda Elizabeth
language: en
keywords: Violence, Married women -- Lusaka
date published: 2012-11-19
date modified: 2026-07-27T22:05:59Z
provider: University of Zambia
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Zambia