Tamar's cry as a metaphor for public awareness against women abuse: a practical theological engagement

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Date
2014-01
Authors
Le Roux, Arthur Malcolm
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: This participatory action research journey with co-researchers in the Galeshewe area, Kimberley explores the impact of public-awareness-campaigns on male abuse against women. In South Africa with its world renowned constitution of human rights and reactive legislative measures to vigorously instill gender equality, women are being abused on a daily basis. In 1982 public-awareness-campaigns analyzed women’s experiences and began to publicly advocate for the ongoing solidarity amongst women, to address the abomination of male abuse against women and for gender equality. In 1999 South Africa joined the global initiative to rebel against male terrorism of women. Public-awareness-campaigns of male abuse against women objectify to minimize and eliminate the atrocity of male abuse against women. The narrative of Tamar in 2 Samuel 13: 1-21 are used as metaphor to give meaning to the atrocity of male abuse against women. Male abuse of women cuts across cultures, nations, societies, religions, social and economic boundaries. It is prevalent amongst married and unmarried heterosexual couples, lesbians and gays and males known and unknown to women who are abused. Within this pluralistic, diverse, democratic and secular country, restriction of women rights is perceived as the result of patriarchal religious teachings. Male abuse against women is inclusive of physical, psychological, emotional and sexual violence. Sexual violence is afforded its own category of violence because of demeaning prevalence within society. The world renowned constitution of South Africa with its vigourous legislation, as well as public-awareness-campaigns fails to prevent the ever pervasive practice of male abuse against women. A change of attitude seems to be needed. This study is both qualitative and empirical narrative research from a social constructionist epistemological perspective. The objective of the research is to gain practical wisdom. How can a public pastoral theology contribute to the success of public-awareness-campaigns? What is the impact of public-awareness-campaigns on male abuse against women? The church was spearheading the apartheid struggle in South Africa. Oppression of races was unacceptable and society fought against this oppression. What is the difference amongst genders that society accepts gender inequality? Where is the vigour of the ecclesia to continue with the struggle for gender equality? Male abuse against women denotes a social construct that infringes on the wholeness and human rights of both males and females. Public-awareness-campaigns in essence advocate for the respect and restoration of human dignity and human rights. Male abuse against women robs men and women of abundant life. Public pastoral theology will be the vehicle through which the research will be done. A holistic approach to the concrete local unique moment of practice can be nothing other than public. Male abuse of women cannot be discussed in the private arena of women only. Males should be included in any discussion or interaction of male abuse against women. Including males in the interactive discussion of male abuse against women guarantee a more holistic approach to the atrocity. Male abuse against women is a reality experience within society. Reality experiences emphasize the context of the individual. The research problem is explored from the narrative of Tamar and is then placed within a public pastoral context. Tamar’s experience at the hand of Amnon is given meaningful understanding within her own religious, cultural and traditional context. It is within this context that her reality experience is verbalized in her cry, “that such a thing is not done in Israel”. A multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural, multi-linguistic, multi-religious holistic approach from the local, specific context is suggested to arrive at meaningful interaction with the abomination of male abuse of women.
Afrikaans: Hierdie deelnemende aksie navorsingsreis met medenavorsers uit die Galeshewe area in Kimberley is `n eksplorasie om te probeer vasstel wat die impak van openbare bewusmakingsveldtogte van die mishandeling van vroue deur mans is. Suid Afrika het `n wêrelderkende grondwet en reaktiewe wetgewing wat progressiewe geslagsgelykheid bevorder, nogtans word vroue daagliks mishandel. In 1982 is openbare bewusmakingsveldtogte gebruik om ondervindings van vroue te analiseer en openbare bewusmakingsveldtogte het toe ook openlik begin betoog vir eenheid tussen vroue om die onaanvaarbare praktyk aan te spreek en geslagsgelykheid te bepleit. In 1999 het Suid Afrika by die globale inisiatief om die terrorisme teen vrouemishandeling aangesluit. Openbare bewusmakingsveldtogte het ten doel om vroue mishandeling te bekamp en uitendelik te elimineer. Die narratief van Tamar in 2 Samuel 13:1-22 word as metafoor gebruik om die praktyk van vroue mishandeling toe te lig. Vrouemishandeling oorskry kulturele, godsdienstige, ekonomiese, gemeenskaps- en nasionale grense. Dit vind plaas in ongetroude, getroude heteroseksuele en homoseksueele verhoudings. Dit vind ook plaas tussen bekendes en onbekendes. Binne dié pluralistiese, diverse, demokratiese en sekulêre land word vroueregte beperk vanweë godsdienstige en patriargale leerstellings. Vrouemishandeling is fisiek, sielkundig, emosioneel en seksueel van aard. Seksuele geweld word spesifiek genoem om die vernederende praktyk in die gemeenskap uit te lig. Publieke bewusmakings veldtogte is een van die maniere waarmee diè euwel van vrouemishandeling aangespreek word. Die sosiale samestelling van openbare bewusmakingsveldtogte teen die sosiale euwel word binne Tamar se narratief bespreek om die mishandeling en openbare veldtogte teen vrouemishandeling toe te lig. Die wêrelderkende Suid-Afrikaanse grondwet met haar aggressiewe wetgewing en openbare bewusmakingsveldtogte blyk nie genoeg te wees om die euwel van vrouemishandeling hok te slaan nie. Dus is `n verandering in die houding van die gemeenskap is prioriteit. Die studie is kwalitatief en `n empiriese narratiewe navorsing vanuit `n sosiaal konstruktiewe epistemologiese perspektief. Die doel van die navorsing is primêr om praktiese kennis in te win. Hoe kan openbare pastorale teologie `n bydrae lewer om verandering te bewerkstellig? Wat is die impak van openbare bewusmakings veldtogte teen vrouemishandeling? Die kerk was op die voorgrond in die stryd teen apartheid. Rasse onderdrukking was onaanvaarbaar vir die publiek. Wat dan is die verskil dat geslagsongelykheid aanvaarbaar is? Wat het van die dringendheid geword sodat die kerk kan voortgaan om geslagsongelykheid te beveg? Vrouemishandeling is `n sosiale konstruksie wat indring teen die heelheid en menseregte van mans en vroue. Openbare bewusmakingsveldtogte veg vir respek, menswaardigheid en menseregte. Die impak van publieke bewusmakingsveldtogte van vrouemishandeling deur mans word vanuit `n publieke, pastorale paradigma bespreek. Publieke, pastorale teologie het `n noue verband met reflektiewe dialoog om vrouemishandeling toe te lig. Mans en vroue behoort gesamentlik die euwel van vrouemishandeling aan te spreek. Dialoog, binne `n publieke pastorale teologie, het fudamenteel ten doel om vrouemishandeling te verminder. `n Multi-dissiplinêre, multi-kulturele, multi-talige, multi-godsdienstige en nie-godsdienstige dialoog word voorgestel. Dit word gedoen sodat betekenisvolle verstaanbaarheid vir dié sosiale euwel bereik kan word. Die betekenisvolle verstaanbaarheid is die vertrekpunt om die sosiale euwel aan te spreek, te verminder en eventueel uit te wis. Die betekenisvolle verstaanbaarheid dien ook as vertrekpunt sodat genesing van die individu en gemeenskap bewerkstellig kan word.
Description
Keywords
Women -- Abuse of, Women -- Violence against, Sexual abuse victims -- Pastoral counseling of, Church work with abused women, Public pastoral theology, Thesis (Ph.D. (Practical Theology))--University of the Free State, 2014, Public pastoral context, Holistic, Public-awareness-campaigns, Legislation, Violence
Citation