Feminist pastoral care approach in deconstructing the effects of patriarchy on Basotho women's identities experiencing domestic violence in marital relations

Abstract

The study is concerned with deconstructing the effects of patriarchal discourses on the identities of women experiencing domestic violence in marital relationships. It is explored within a feminist pastoral care framework within the Basotho culture. This is seen through the lens of Basotho culture and the Christian church as understood in an emerging postmodern culture. The study explores and deconstructs patriarchal beliefs around the identities of Basotho women experiencing domestic violence in marital relationships through discursive conversations. This study has sought to benefit any Mosotho woman who suffers under the control and abuse of her husband. The study does this by giving her a voice to deconstruct the silencing and disempowering patriarchal stories/identities. In turn it hopefully allows her to construct her own empowering preferred multiple identities without blaming anybody. However, by the very nature of this study,’ the effects of patriarchy on identities of Basotho women experiencing domestic violence in marital relations’ there was partiality and subjectivity throughout my discussions and reflections, as I found it hard to stand back from my resentment.