Understanding and Addressing Femicide in Peacetime Zimbabwe
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Date
2022-05-19
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A Journal of Social Justice
Abstract
It is essential to research femicide in Zimbabwe not only because it is one of the most extreme forms of violence against women, but the typologies and circumstances that lead to this killing continue to escape policy and scholarly attention. Secular and religious institutions in Zimbabwe entrench gender stereotypes and constructions of masculinity that emphasize power, violence, and dominance (Keith, Fran, and Robyn 2022). There is a plethora of literature concurring that “custom in Africa is stronger than domination, stronger than the law, stronger even than religion.” Over the years, customary practices have been incorporated into religion and ultimately have come to be believed by their practitioners to be demanded by their adopted gods, whomever they may be (Lightfoot-Klein 1989, 47). As such, the patriarchal customs assign gender roles that perpetuate male aggression and perpetuate structures based on hierarchy, violence, and humiliation that result in femicide. This view is corroborated by Iranzo's (2015, 1) view that femicide is: the killing of a woman because some man or men, although occasionally also some women who accept men's values, has or have sentenced her to death adducing whatever reasons, motives or causes, but nonetheless actually and ultimately because he or they believe she has defied (the words they often use are'offended'or'insulted') patriarchal order (in their words' honourable'societies) beyond what her judge (often but not always the same person who kills her) is prepared to tolerate without retaliating in that way.
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Chirambwi, K., 2022. Understanding and addressing femicide in peacetime Zimbabwe. Peace Review, 34(2), pp.187-203.