Exploring Strategies for Addressing Sexual Violence among Students in Selected Secondary Schools of Mzimba District in Malawi

Angella Lungu¹ , George Julius Babune² , Issa Haji Ziddy³

1. Dept. of Educational Foundation, Instruction and Leadership (DEFIL), State University of Zanzibar, Tanzania.
2. Dept. of Arts and Social Sciences, Mwalimu Nyerere Memorial Academy, Zanzibar, Tanzania.
3. Dept. of Educational Foundation, Instruction and Leadership (DEFIL), State University of Zanzibar, Tanzania.

Section:Research Paper, Product Type: Journal-Paper
Vol.9 , Issue.11 , pp.26-33, Nov-2023

Online published on Nov 30, 2023

Copyright © Angella Lungu, George Julius Babune, Issa Haji Ziddy . This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
 

View this paper at   Google Scholar | DPI Digital Library

XML View     PDF Download

How to Cite this Paper

102 Views    97 Downloads    44 Downloads

Abstract :
Addressing sexual violence has become a major focus of educational research due to the devastating consequences it has on students in schools. Implementing effective preventive measures can help schools deal with sexual violence and provide a safe environment for all students. This study explored strategies for addressing sexual violence among students in secondary schools in Mzimba district, Malawi. A qualitative approach was used to collect data from a total of 53 respondents. The study population was comprised of teachers, students, deputy head teachers, and head teachers. Strategies for addressing sexual violence were revealed through six unstructured focus group discussions, five interviews and a documentary analysis. Through thematic analysis, guidance and counselling, sexual education, code of ethics for students, safe school environment, students` involvement, stakeholders` involvement, training for teachers and teachers` code of conduct. Through pairwise ranking with teachers, it was determined that guidance and counselling were the most effective strategies. Socioecological theory was used to understand the strategies employed in schools to address sexual violence among students. The study, therefore, concludes that addressing sexual violence among students in secondary schools is possible by effectively using various strategies at once. In order to maintain uniformity and effectively manage sexual violence in all secondary schools, the government should create a policy prohibiting any form of sexual violence in schools.

Key-Words / Index Term :
Addressing, Codes of ethics, Guidance and counselling, Sexual education, Sexual violence, Strategies

References :
[1]. Q. Wodon, C. Fèvre, C. Malé, A. Nayihouba, & H. Nguyen, “Ending violence in schools: an investment case – selected findings. Safe to learn. End violence against children. World Bank Group, 2021.
[2]. UNESCO. "Education For All: Status and Trends,” 1993. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED370207.pdf
[3]. United Nations, "Sustainable development goals”, 2015.
[4]. J. Malongo, & CG Mwale, “Gender-based violence among students in secondary school in Rumphi district, Malawi,” International Journal for Innovative Research in Multidisciplinary Field, Vol.5, Issue.4, 2019.
[5]. MoEST, “National Education Standards. Primary and Secondary Education,” 2015
[6]. D. Ollis, “The role of teachers in delivering education about respectful relationships: exploring teacher and student perspectives. Health education research,” Vol.29, Issue.4, pp. 702–713, 2014. DOI:10.1093/her/cyu032.
[7]. M. Lu, J. Barlow, F. Meinck, & L. Neelakantan, “Unpacking School-Based Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Programs: A Realist Review. Trauma, violence, & abuse,” pp.1–15, 2022. DOI: 10.1177/15248380221082153
[8]. S. Magwa, “Managing sexual abuse of students by teachers. A case study of Masvingo district secondary schools in Zimbabwe,” International Journal of Education Learning and Development, Vol.2, Issue.2, pp.11-21, 2014.
[9]. H.K. Altinyelken, & M. Le Mat, “Sexual violence, schooling and silence: teacher narratives from a secondary school in Ethiopia, Compare,” A Journal of Comparative and International Education, Vol.48, Issue.4. pp.648-664, 2018 DOI: 10.1080/03057925.2017.1332517
[10]. A.O. Agu, C.K. Brown, M. Adamu-Issah, & B. A. Duncan, “Perspectives on Sexual Abuse of School Children in Basic and Secondary Schools in Ghana,” African Journal of Criminology and Justice Studies: AJCJS, Vol.11, Issue.1, 2018.
[11]. I. P. A. Apriliana, “The role of the school counsellor to handling student sexual harassment behaviour in the school,” International Journal of Research in Education and Counselling, Vol.1, Issue.2, pp.13–18, 2018. https://doi.org/10.24036/004za0002
[12]. N. K. Ondicho, F.W. Njuguna, & k. Kombo, “Strategies Used in Addressing Students’ Sexual Harassment in Selected Secondary Schools in Kiambu and Nyamira Counties, Kenya. The Cradle of Knowledge”, African Journal of Educational and Social Science Research, Vol.8, Issue.1, pp.2304-2885, 2020.
[13]. UNESCO & UNFPA, “Sexuality education: A ten country review of school curricula in East and Southern Africa. Regional report,” UNESCO, 2012.
[14]. S.M. Sincero, “Ecological Systems Theory,” 2012. https://explorable.com/ecological-systems-theory
[15]. Malawi police. “Malawi police data digest for April –June 2020,” 2020
[16]. S. Chitete, “Sexual violence stuns Mzimba,” The Nation, Jan 20, 2021.
[17]. WHO, “School-based violence prevention: a practical handbook,” Geneva, 2019.
[18]. A.M. Spear, “Teachers as change agents? Assessing teachers’ perceptions of and responses to sexual gender-based violence in schools in Burkina Faso,” Forum for International Research in Education, Vol.5, Issue.2, pp.195-213, 2019.
[19]. M. L. J. Le Mat, “Sexual violence is not good for our country`s development’. Students’ interpretations of sexual violence in a secondary school in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,” Gender and Education, Vol.28, Issue.4, pp.562-580, 2016. DOI: 10.1080/09540253.2015.1134768