Male and Female Students' Understandings and Experiences of Gender-Based Violence on a University Campus Residence in Kwazulu-Natal
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Male and female students’ understandings and experiences of gender-based violence on a university campus residence in KwaZulu-Natal By Charnell Ruby Naidu Student Number: 216077026 A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Education in the School of Education, Faculty of Humanities, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa Supervisor: Dr Bronwynne M. Anderson November 2019 Declaration I, Charnell Ruby Naidu (Student Number: 216077026) declare that: i. This research report, except where otherwise stated, is my original work. ii. This dissertation has not been submitted for any degree or examination at any other university. iii. This report does not contain other persons’ data, pictures, graphs or other information, unless specifically acknowledged as being sourced from other researchers. Where other sources have been quoted, then; a) Their words have been re-written but the general information attributed to them has been referenced. b) Where their exact words have been used, their writing has been placed inside quotation marks and referenced. iv. This dissertation does not contain text, graphics or tables copied and pasted from the internet, unless specifically acknowledged, and the source being detailed in the dissertation and reference section. v. The work discussed in this dissertation was carried out in the School of Education, University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2019 under the supervision of Doctor B.M.Anderson (supervisor). vi. The Ethical Clearance No. HSS / 0347 / 019M was granted before conducting the study. Signed ………………………………………… Date …………………………………………… ii Acknowledgements The following people played a significant role in the completion of my dissertation, thank you very much. To my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, with you NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE. I am eternally grateful. Dr B.M.Anderson, my supervisor, for your expert guidance, insight, support, encouragement and patience throughout this journey. My husband, Selven, my children Nicholas, Nicole and Loné and my beautiful grand-daughter Ariah, your love, patience, understanding, support and motivation carried me through this journey. You have been a pillar of strength. I love you all. My sister, Glynis. Despite your own pain, suffering and loss, your unwavering love, support and encouragement kept me focused. Thank you very much for everything. I love you sis. My soul sisters; Sash, Yasmin, Navitha, Reveni and Ashika. Thank you for all your love and support, and for believing in me. Selentha, I am eternally grateful to you for all your immeasurable support in putting together this thesis. Thank you for believing in me. Molly, For your kind assistance with translation. My varsity sister, Simla, we started this journey together, it has been amazing. Thank you for shared ideas, encouragement and for always being there to listen. To the librarians at the Edminson Library: Desmond and Mukesh and other support staff, thank you very much for all your kind assistance. I am truly grateful. To the participants for their willingness to be part of this research. Thank you very much. It is my fervent hope that this research contributes to a safer university campus for all. iii Dedication This dissertation is dedicated to my late niece, my guardian angel Rozanne Glynis Mei. Whose butterfly spirit I felt throughout this journey. You are always in my heart. Love and miss you sweetiepie. iv Declaration ‘As the candidate’s supervisor I agree to the submission of this thesis’. Signed Name Dr Bronwynne Anderson…………………………………………. Date …17 February 2020……………………………………… v Abstract Using qualitative research, this study explored the understandings, exposure to and experiences of gender-based violence of males and femalesat a University of KwaZulu-Natal campus residence. The study is located within the interpretivist paradigm,as it set out to obtain deeper insight and understandings into the pervasivenessof gender-based violence at the campus. The data collection method utilised in the study was semi-structured interviews with 15 male and 15 female participants. Findings were developed through the use of thematic analysis, within an eclectic theoretical framework. The findings are first that gender-based violence is highly prevalent at the university campus residences. Gender-based violence manifests in various ways; these include physical, sexual, emotional, financial and structural abuse. The findings reveal that patriarchy promotes gender oppression in all avenues of society, resulting in male university students using it to justify their use of violence against females and non-conforming genders. The socialisation process of males and females results in unequal power relations in ways that simultaneously rendered males powerful and females powerless. The study found that alcohol and drug parties on campus exacerbated gender-based violence. The study also found that first year students were more vulnerable to transactional sex and rape at campus residences and homophobic violence is rife on campus residences. Lastly, the findings illustrate that the cultural acceptance of gender-based violence serves not only to normalise it but that it also perpetuates this social ill at university campus residences. Based on the findings, the study offers some suggestions and recommendations that all the relevant stakeholders could consider and implement in an effort to reduce gender-based violence at the university residences. These include education, curriculum changes, policy implementation, security upgrades and structured reporting mechanisms. Okucashuniwe: Ngokocwaningo vi Kusetshenziswe indlela yocwaningo lapho kubhekwa khona izimpendulo emibuzweni efana nokuthi kungani nokuthi kwenzeka kanjani ukuthi abantu baziphathe ngendlela abaziphatha ngayo. Lesifundo sibheka kabanzi indlela yokucabanga kwabesilisa nabesifazane, kuphenywa kabanzi izimo ezithinta udlame lwangezobulili ngaphakathi ezindaweni zokuhlala KwiNyuvesi yaKwaZulu Natali. Isifundo singesivulekile njengoba inhloso kungukuthola kabanzi nokuqonda ngokujulile imbangela yokwanda okungaka kodlame lwangokobulili kulesi sikhungo. Ukuqoqwa kolwazi kulesi sifundo kusetshenziswe le evulelekile. Le engalandeli uhla lwemibuzo nezimpendulo. Kuba ingxoxo evulelekile lapho lowo obuzwayo ethola ithuba lokukhuluma akhuleleke ngesihloko. Kuxoxiswane nabesilisa abayishumi nesihlanu ngokunjalo nabesifazane abayishumi nesihlanu (15) ababambe iqhaza kulo lolu cwaningo. Ulwazi olutholakele lucutshungulwe kusetshenziswa indlela yokubheka okufanayo okuqhamukile ocwaningweni naleyo evulelekile engagxilile ohlakeni olulodwa. Imiphumela ebalulekile iveze ukuthi ukuhlukumeza ngokobulili ngaphakathi esikhungweni semfundo ephakeme kudla lubi. Udlame lwangokobulili luvela ngezindlela ezahlukene, ngingabala ukushaya, ngokocansi, ngokomoya, ngokwezezimali nalapho abantu besuke bengeke bakwazi ukuzivikela ngenxa yemithetho ebekiwe. Imiphumela yocwaningo iphinde yaveza ukuthi imithetho ebekwe uhulumeni ukuthi indoda ayiphikiswa kwekushoyo ingenye yezinto ezicindezelayo ngokobulili kuyo yonke imiphakathu, okuholele ekutheni abafundi besilisa emanyuvesi bakusebenzise lokhu ukuzivikela ekuhlukumezeni abesifazane nalabo bolulili obungaqondile kobubodwa. Indlela yokuxhumana phakathi kwabesilisa nabesifazane iholele esimeni sokungalingani ngokwamandla ekuzwaneni ngendlela yokuthi njalo abesilisa yibo abathathwa njengabanamandla kuthi abesifazane bona bangabi yilutho emiphakathini. Ucwaningo luveze ukuthi imicimbi lapho kudliwa utshwala nezidakamizwa ngaphakathi esikhungweni yiko okubhebhethekisa loludlame. Ucwaningo luphinde lwaveza ukuthi abafundi bonyaka wokuqala yibo abahlaseleka kakhulu kwizimo lapho kulalwa nabo ngoba bethenjiswe okuthile bazithole sebedlwenguleka ngaphakathi ezindaweni zokuhlala esikhungweni nezima lapho becwaswa ngokwesimo sobulili babo. Okokugcina, imiphumela yocwaningo iveza kabanzi ukuthi isiko aligcini nje ngokubeka isimo sokuhlukumeza ngokobulili kube into ejwayelekile noma engeyona inkinga kodwa kunaloko iyakuqhubela phambili ngaphakathi ezindaweni zokuhlala kuzo izikhungo. Ngokwalemiphumela etholakele, ucwaningo luveze izincomo ezithile neziphakamiso ukuthi zonke izinhlaka azibambe iqhaza emizamweni yokunciphisa udlame lwangokobulili ngaphakathi ezindaweni zokuhlala esikhungweni semfundo ephakeme. Lokhu kubala umnyango wezemfundo, ukushintshwa kwendlela yokufunda nokufundisa, ukubekwa kwemithetho, ukuthuthukiswa kwezokuphepha nezindlela zokubika loludlame. Table of Contents vii Declaration ii Acknowledgements iii Dedication iv Declaration v Abstract - English vi Abstract – isiZulu vii Table of Contents viii 1. Chapter One: Introduction to the Study 1.1. Introduction to the study 1 1.2. Background 1 1.3. Focus and rationale of the study 2 1.4. Aims and objectives of the study 4 1.5. Context of the study (research site) 5 1.6. Brief description of research design methodology, data analysis 6 and ethical issues 1.7. Brief outline of the chapters (structure and organisation) 6 2. Chapter Two: Literature Review 8 2.1. Introduction 8 2.2. The phenomenon of gender-based violence 8 2.3. Gender-based violence: A global phenomenon 11 2.4. Gender-based violence and the link to patriarchy 12 2.5. Gender-based violence in South African universities 14 viii 2.6. Disrupting the premise that females are not violent 16 2.7. Gender-based violence within heterosexual relationships 18 2.8. Gender-based violence: Homophobic attacks – homosexual relationships 21 2.9. Rape culture 23 2.10. Transactional and coercive sexual