Category: Mental Health
Subcategory: Academic Articles
Abstract
This article examines how religious belief, church involvement, and spiritual coping interact with women’s experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) in rural South Africa. The author explores not only how faith can give strength and meaning to survivors, but also how religious norms and community expectations sometimes constrain women’s ability to seek help or leave abusive relationships. The research shows that in many communities, faith leaders and congregational attitudes play a crucial role: when church communities explicitly reject violence, survivors report somewhat more resilience; where religious teaching implicitly supports male “authority,” survivors feel greater isolation.
The study also connects these dynamics to mental health outcomes, showing that survivors with stronger spiritual support often report lower depressive symptoms or anxiety, but that the benefits depend heavily on having a faith community that actively acknowledges and condemns abuse. The article argues for integrating faith actors into GBV support, training clergy to recognise emotional harm, and promoting theologies that affirm dignity and justice for survivors.