AN EVALUATION OF CULTURAL FACTORS THAT PERPETUATE COMMUNITY ATTITUDES OF VIOLENCE TOWARDS WOMEN: A CASE STUDY OF HATCLIFFE HIGH DENSITY SUBURB IN HARARE METROPOLITAN PROVINCE, ZIMBABWE.

The study sought to evaluate cultural factors that perpetuate attitudes of violence towards women. A case study of Hatcliffe High Density Suburb of Harare Metropolitan Province, Zimbabwe. The representative sample consisted of twenty (20) participants who included both female and male adolescents, parents and other elder members of the community in the suburb, which could also influence policy formulation and implementation in the combating of attitudes of violence towards women as people hide behind the cultural values notion. A qualitative approach was employed to guide the study. Research design/method used was case study as it was considered useful in the methodology that the researcher had selected. Data was collected using the face to face interviews. Qualitative data analysis with descriptive statistics was used in the presentation, interpretation and analysis of data. The results showed that age and developmental factors also perpetuated attitudes of violence towards women. Another key finding from the study revealed that family therapy was and often, a significantly more effective treatment than no treatment, and specifically effective in the reduction/combating of attitudes that perpetuate violence towards women regardless of the context one would be coming from. Key recommendations from the study were: the need for a culturally appropriate assessment procedure with regards to relationship history and/or marriage authenticity and capacitation of governmental institutions such as the police and traditional chiefs so that they are able to combat cultural factors that perpetuate violence towards women