Theology and Women’s Agency in the Context of Intimate Partner Violence in Ghana
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a growing problem in sub-Saharan Africa that limits women’s agency. Various studies have found that cultural norms and religion sustain women’s experiences of IPV, inspiring various theories among feminist scholars and within religion on women’s agency. This study...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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UJ Press
2023-07-01
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| Series: | African Journal of Gender and Religion (AJGR) |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.uj.ac.za/index.php/ajgr/article/view/2423 |
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| _version_ | 1850280921060605952 |
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| author | Elorm Ama Stiles-Ocran |
| author_facet | Elorm Ama Stiles-Ocran |
| author_sort | Elorm Ama Stiles-Ocran |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a growing problem in sub-Saharan Africa that limits women’s agency. Various studies have found that cultural norms and religion sustain women’s experiences of IPV, inspiring various theories among feminist scholars and within religion on women’s agency. This study determines whether and how theology contributes to the agency of IPV survivors. I draw upon constructivist grounded theory to inductively analyze the stories of thirteen abused Christian women in a mainline church in southern Ghana. My findings indicate that multiple systems, including informal social support networks, constrain survivors while simultaneously serving as conditions for their personal faith and individually constructed theologies. Indeed, these serve as catalysts to their self-enactments and emerging agency. These findings provide nuance to existing (and contested) conceptions of agency.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e5d541a793a84450b88cde960356ffe7 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2707-2991 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | UJ Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | African Journal of Gender and Religion (AJGR) |
| spelling | doaj-art-e5d541a793a84450b88cde960356ffe72025-08-20T01:48:33ZengUJ PressAfrican Journal of Gender and Religion (AJGR)2707-29912023-07-0129110.36615/ajgr.v29i1.2423Theology and Women’s Agency in the Context of Intimate Partner Violence in GhanaElorm Ama Stiles-Ocran0VID Specialized University Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a growing problem in sub-Saharan Africa that limits women’s agency. Various studies have found that cultural norms and religion sustain women’s experiences of IPV, inspiring various theories among feminist scholars and within religion on women’s agency. This study determines whether and how theology contributes to the agency of IPV survivors. I draw upon constructivist grounded theory to inductively analyze the stories of thirteen abused Christian women in a mainline church in southern Ghana. My findings indicate that multiple systems, including informal social support networks, constrain survivors while simultaneously serving as conditions for their personal faith and individually constructed theologies. Indeed, these serve as catalysts to their self-enactments and emerging agency. These findings provide nuance to existing (and contested) conceptions of agency. https://journals.uj.ac.za/index.php/ajgr/article/view/2423Intimate partner violenceChristian theologyagencyreligious agencyself-advocacyGhana |
| spellingShingle | Elorm Ama Stiles-Ocran Theology and Women’s Agency in the Context of Intimate Partner Violence in Ghana African Journal of Gender and Religion (AJGR) Intimate partner violence Christian theology agency religious agency self-advocacy Ghana |
| title | Theology and Women’s Agency in the Context of Intimate Partner Violence in Ghana |
| title_full | Theology and Women’s Agency in the Context of Intimate Partner Violence in Ghana |
| title_fullStr | Theology and Women’s Agency in the Context of Intimate Partner Violence in Ghana |
| title_full_unstemmed | Theology and Women’s Agency in the Context of Intimate Partner Violence in Ghana |
| title_short | Theology and Women’s Agency in the Context of Intimate Partner Violence in Ghana |
| title_sort | theology and women s agency in the context of intimate partner violence in ghana |
| topic | Intimate partner violence Christian theology agency religious agency self-advocacy Ghana |
| url | https://journals.uj.ac.za/index.php/ajgr/article/view/2423 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT elormamastilesocran theologyandwomensagencyinthecontextofintimatepartnerviolenceinghana |