Looking through the lens: South African university students’ interpretations of gender-based violence.
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Date
2020
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Abstract
The study reported in this dissertation explores students’ representations and experiences of gender-based violence (GBV) as reflected in photographs of spaces on and around the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg Campus (UKZN, PMB). Gender conflict theory grounds the study within the social constructivist model framework as it provides possible explanations for the occurrence of GBV. The aim of the study was to explore undergraduate students’ experiences of unsafety and safety, in relation to GBV. The participants in the study were university students who were recruited from an undergraduate psychology research methods module. One of the requirements of the module was for students to complete an assignment on photovoice and thematic data analysis which centred around the topic of GBV. Based on the photo-narratives that students produced as part of their assignment, individual photo-elicitation interviews were conducted with ten students.
The findings focus on four main themes, namely; fear, safety, violence, and patriarchy. These themes are linked to the students’ perceptions of (un)safety, how these perceptions impact their interactions with one another, and their experiences on and around the UKZN, PMB, campus. Furthermore, possible reasons why GBV exists on the university campus are explored and these reasons are linked to the themes of patriarchy and violence. The four themes are also located within gender conflict theory to explain the students’ perceptions of why GBV exists in society and specifically in universities.
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Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.