by Eugenia A. B. Anderson
For many years, I have worked simultaneously as a gender historian in the Department of History and Political Studies at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and as an active participant and lay leader in a Christian faith-based community. Both the church and the university have shaped my thinking and my commitment to engaging theoretically and practically with some of the challenges women face, especially in their own homes. Constantly on my mind is the sense that violence against women/intimate partner violence (VAW/IPV) is prevalent in Africa due to cultural and religious norms that firmly establish the authority of men over women as husbands, fathers, brothers, uncles, and brothers-in-law, while also frowning on divorce. The hierarchical relationship between women and men, the stereotyped socialisation of boys and girls, and varying levels of discrimination are not merely societal but also religious constructs. I would argue that this emphasis on a hierarchical family structure, together with biblical texts on female submission, contributes to providing a theological basis for women’s subordination and gender inequality. This, in addition to the cultural practice of payment of the bridewealth (tiri nsa among the Akan), weakens women’s ability to leave toxic marriages or relationships.
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