Barriers to the Utilisation of Provisions of the Zimbabwean Domestic Violence Act among Abused Christian Women in Zimbabwe

The Domestic Violence Act of Zimbabwe was enacted in response to an escalation in cases of domestic violence. In spite of the enactment of the Act, domestic violence continues and there is limited utilisation of the provisions of the law. This paper seeks to identify factors that militate against the utilisation of provisions of the Act by victims of domestic violence. Twenty-two Christian women who were abused by their male intimate partners participated in the study on which this paper is based. A qualitative design, influenced by the feminist perspective, was adopted for this study. Purposeful sampling was applied in selecting participants who took part in in-depth semi-structured interviews. Participants were given an opportunity to share their individual experiences. Data were analysed thematically. The study revealed that religious, cultural and economic reasons prevented most victims of domestic violence from seeking legal recourse. It was recommended that successful implementation of laws relating to domestic violence needs a coordinated response from all sectors. Recommendations for further research were also made

Advanced Level Students' Perceptions Of The Causes And Effects Of HIV/AIDS:A Case Study Of Masvingo Urban High Schools, Zimbabwe

A ZJER article on Zimbabwe high school student's' perception on HIV/AIDS.The present study sought to establish A-level students’ perceptions of the causes and effects of HIV/AIDS. The rational for the study was to establish the extent to which A level students understand issues related to HIV/AIDS. The sample was made up of 100 A-level students - 68 males and 32 females. A questionnaire was used to collect the data. The 7.5 SPSS package was used to analyze the data. Findings revealed that students had a lot of accurate factual information about HIV/AIDS but at the same time they had some misconceptions. It was recommended that relevant stakeholders facilitate HIV/AIDS awareness and necessary attitude change among students both theoretically and practically. There is still more room for research on this aspect

Perceived Impact of Attitudes and Competencies of Lecturers on Academic Performance of Female Students at a University in Zimbabwe

This study sought to discover how lecturer attitudes and competencies influence academic performance of university female students, since they are generally lagging behind in academic performance at a university in Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe. The transactional theory is the main theory that anchored this study. The population comprised all Part two to Part four female university students and all the lecturers that taught the female students who were at the institution. A sample of 25 female students and 5 lecturers in four faculties was selected using the convenience sampling strategy. The study employed a case study research design which involved use of individual interviews and focus group discussions to collect data. Data was analysed in narrative form and thematically. The study revealed that the academic performance of female university students was determined by lecturer attitudes and competencies. The study recommends the training of lecturers who are holders of non-teaching degrees in order to improve their competencies and in-service training for the old horses so as to renew, sharpen their minds and refine their skills

The utility of the Zimbabwean Domestic Violence Act : Christian and Muslim women's experiences

The study investigated Zimbabwean Christian and Muslim women who had experienced domestic violence with a view to finding out the extent to which these women used provisions of the Domestic Violence Act of 2006. The study was conducted in urban Masvingo and its surroundings. The methodology applied to the empirical investigation was qualitative and was informed by the phenomenological, feminist and pragmatic theoretical frameworks. Data was collected, by means of in-depth semi-structured interviews, from 30 participants, 22 Christian and 8 Muslim, who were selected using purposive sampling and snowball sampling techniques. In investigating the women’s experiences, some questions guided the study. These include: Where and to what extent does a select group of Christian and Muslim women who fall victim to domestic violence normally seek help? How do religious and cultural beliefs and practices influence the response to domestic violence by the abused as well as those to whom they report? To what extent do religious communities prevent selected victims of domestic violence from seeking legal assistance? Data was analysed by coding responses according to themes. The study revealed that the participants perceived domestic violence as having diverse causes and most of them saw their religion as crucial in addressing their plight. It emerged that a majority of the participants sought help from their religious communities as well as relatives and friends. Mixed responses emanated from these sources of help. The most common response, based largely on religious and cultural beliefs, was to encourage participants to avoid reporting to authorities. It also emerged that most of the participants were not willing to seek help from the police, courts or legal practitioners to seek redress because of the advice they received as well as their own internalised beliefs. Religious, social, and economic factors prevented most participants from appealing to provisions of the Domestic Violence Act.It was concluded that the Zimbabwean Domestic Violence Act had limited usefulness for participants because of religious, social and economic factors. It was recommended that if relevant stakeholders could jointly work together, domestic violence would be alleviated. Recommendations for further research were also made.Religious Studies and ArabicD. Litt. et Phil. (Religious Studies

Advanced Level Students\' Perceptions of the Causes and Effects of HIV/AIDS: A Case Study of Masvingo Urban High Schools, Zimbabwe

No Abstract Available Zimbabwe Journal of Educational Research Vol.15(1) 2003: 12-2

Advanced Level Students' Perceptions Of The Causes And Effects Of HIV/AIDS:A Case Study Of Masvingo Urban High Schools, Zimbabwe

The present study sought to establish A-level students’ perceptions of the causes and effects of HIV/AIDS. The rational for the study was to establish the extent to which A level students understand issues related to HIV/AIDS. The sample was made up of 100 A-level students - 68 males and 32 females. A questionnaire was used to collect the data. The 7.5 SPSS package was used to analyze the data. Findings revealed that students had a lot of accurate factual information about HIV/AIDS but at the same time they had some misconceptions. It was recommended that relevant stakeholders facilitate HIV/AIDS awareness and necessary attitude change among students both theoretically and practically. There is still more room for research on this aspect