The abuse of female children of the Johanne Marange Apostolic Church in Masvingo District, Zimbabwe – Assessing the perspectives of selected Social Service Practitioners

The abuse of female children of the Johanne Marange Apostolic Church in Masvingo District, Zimbabwe – Assessing the perspectives of selected Social Service Practitioners

George Chikono & Simon Murote Kang’ethe

Issue: Vol. 7 No.3 2026 Article 17 pp.882 – 899
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20267317| Published online 23rd April 2026

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ABSTRACT

Religious organisations are known for providing solace to those going through various psycho-social and spiritual challenges. However, the experiences of female children fellowshipping in the Johanne Marange church continue to be characterized by abuse and subjugation. The article, using a qualitative approach with exploratory and descriptive designs, explored perceptions of 20 purposively selected participants, comprising social workers, counsellors, welfare officers, psychologists, and sociologists, who worked and living in the Masvingo district, regarding the abuses imposed on female children in the Johanne Marange Apostolic sect. The study adopted a thematic analysis that facilitated the identification of factors that contribute to child abuse, such as cultural practices, limited access to sexual and reproductive health services, and harmful religious practices. The study recommends strict law enforcement, safe person training, hiring social workers to assist in advocacy and pragmatic interventions to combat abuse of female children, and instituting scholarships for females in apostolic sects. The study shares critical findings on the impact of religious practices, especially on the welfare and livelihoods of female children. Subsequently, it contributes to ongoing discourses on finding lasting solutions to address factors that hinder the achievement ofSDG 5 on gender equality in education and other spheres of life. The study also calls to action all likeminded organisations and practitioners to design strategies to curb the oppression of female children that continues to happen due to religion and culture.

Keywords: Child Marriages, Sexual Abuses, Sexual and Reproductive Health Services, Economic Empowerment, HIV/AIDS, Patriarchy.

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ABOUT AUTHOR(S)

George Chikono works at the Women’s University in Africa as a Social Work lecturer, and his research interests include but not limited to culture, child justice, women empowerment, and forensic social work. He has authored 3 journal publications, supervised close more than 50 undergraduate students. He has more than 4 years’ experience of social work practice.

Simon Murote Kang’ethe works at Walter Sisulu University as a full Social Work Professor, and he is also a C2 NRF-rated researcher focusing on culture, health, children, social enterprises, and geriatrics. He has authored more than 250 journal publications, supervised close to 50 master’s and PhD students, and authored 2 Botswana curriculum-based books and 6 book chapters. He is the recipient of the 2025 Walter Sisulu Distinguished Researcher Award for the most productive researcher in the University

TO CITE ARTICLE

Chikono, George, and Simon Murote Kang’ethe. “The abuse of female children of the Johanne Marange Apostolic Church in Masvingo District, Zimbabwe – Assessing the perspectives of selected Social Service Practitioners.” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 7, no.3 (2026): 882 – 899. https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20267317