What Does It Mean to Be a Young African Woman on a University Campus in Times of Sexual Violence? A New Moment, a New Conversation
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Sexual Violence on Higher Education Campuses
3. Theoretical Framework
3.1. Participatory Visual Approach
3.2. Using Transformative Learning Theory
4. Materials and Methods
4.1. Our Sites and Participants
4.1.1. Eastern Cape Workshop
4.1.2. KZN Workshop
4.2. Using Collage and Storytelling
4.3. Data Analysis
4.4. Ethical Considerations
5. Findings
5.1. Perspectives from the Gender Activists (GA)
5.1.1. The Wish List
5.1.2. The Hunt
Most of the individuals that come here on campus are from remote [rural] areas that have not really been exposed to this kind of life. So when they see these materialistic things, they automatically just fall for it and then they get taken advantage of. We always want to have fun. We get exposed to life, we get exposed to alcohol and substances and that makes us have poor judgements and that ends up us being getting taken advantage of and getting sexually violated.(Creator of collage #6, group discussion)
5.1.3. Rape Gadgets
5.1.4. Standing by My Man
5.1.5. Sex for Favours
Taken control of every single aspect of life on this campus [and to] use their leadership skills, alcohol and the privileges that they have to manipulate you as a woman. I feel if you go into their office in order to ask for help, they will sit there, and they will look at you and laugh at you unless you are willing to give them something in order for you to repay them.(creator of collage #4, group discussion)
5.1.6. My Secret Life
You spend thousands on your ‘new mattress’ [university and housing fees] only to be violated in this space. You find yourself carrying an unwanted pregnancy and/or HIV. You end up floating on the sea, all alone. The people at home who sent you to study, your families, teachers, and friends, will never find out about your secret.(creator of collage #6, group discussion)
5.1.7. Agency
5.2. Perspectives from the Girls Leading Change (GLC)
5.2.1. The Female Body as Crime Scene
5.2.2. Changing a Man’s World
5.2.3. African Women, Patriarchy and Change
5.2.4. How to Flourish in Times of Violence
5.2.5. Social Conscience to Extend the Reach
I need to clean up my crime scene [and] then I can come up and nurture everybody with all the resources I have in the bowl [reference to image in collage #8 of a basket on the woman’s head] … I have a richness of resources. I can use my independence to protect my world. I can be self-assured and be confident. I can make choices and I can plough that into my community to nurture my community.(creator of collage #8, group discussion)
6. Discussion
7. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Conflicts of Interest
References
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No. | Thumbnail | Content |
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#1 | A broken heart frames this artwork. On the left, the words ‘wish list, he’s the best and promise’ are juxtaposed with images of romantic love, such as kissing, flowers, a wedding ring, and a muscular guy. Across the top of the page is written ‘face of tragedy’ and below is a large image of a woman whose face and hair are divided by a birthmark. On the right-hand side, there are images of the same person applying makeup to hide her birthmark and the text reads ‘hide my face, my secret life and journey to self-discovery.’ | |
#2 | On the top left of this artwork, there is a young girl child wearing a pretty dress and decorating a Christmas tree with text reading, ‘gender roles.’ In the middle, there are school children and the words, ‘school policy, teacher beliefs and lack of understanding.’ On the right, there is a young woman with a headscarf and text, ‘culture church, community and parents.’ At the bottom, there is a lot of text, such as ‘campus life, sense of freedom, social status, social media, need to fit in, a hot date, financial dependency and what to wear.’ | |
#3 | This busy collage features an image of a strong man in the centre with the text ‘are you truly happy?’ Pasted below is an image of the folded body of a naked woman with the names of illnesses pasted on different parts of her body. The text, ‘South Africa’ is pasted over this image. In the top left is the letter ‘B’ and there are multiple images of people, pills, and alcohol, and an image of a woman standing on a man’s face with text, ‘time to level the playing field.’ | |
#4 | In the centre is ‘We’re the change makers,’ and above are two people at a desk with text, ‘agree to it and I’ll give you what you need.’ Below are some insects in jail. Centre left is an African woman with a taped mouth and ‘silenced voices.’ Above reads, ‘rape gadgets’ with a blurred party image, smart car and alcohol. Below is someone on her tablet, with question marks and ‘perpetuated through cyber violence’. On top right is ‘Rape is the only crime where the victim becomes the accused.’ Below stands a strong man in front of frightened onlookers with words, ‘Fighting for you.’ | |
#5 | The centre of the collage reads ‘the diligent hunter’ and ‘set your sites on owning a share in this hunting farm.’ Below, two men grab a woman from each side with a naked woman pasted on top of her. Top left is an antelope being hunted and an image of a security camera. Below is woman dressed in money and around the edges of the page are sliced images of people (some with alcohol). At the top are the inverted words, ‘tropical bliss.’ On the right is grilled food and below is an antelope juxtaposed with an image of a woman in underwear whose hands are being tied by a man. | |
#6 | In the centre, is a lonely figure on a canoe with text, ‘I never sent him pictures of my private parts. I might have been drunk and got tired of him asking for my pictures so I just sent them.’ A stained mattress is above with ‘you spent thousands on your new mattress.’ Below is a pregnancy test and ‘somewhere to hide.’ Text bubbles next to three faces say, ‘it happened to us, I am so sorry and I hope that you can see your way to letting this go.’ Arrows point to ‘friends, staff, RMS, police.’ Top left are happy girls and ‘she who has no fear.’ Beneath are men and hunting hyenas and below are young women at a party. Top right reads ‘a question of leadership.’ Below a girl carries a man with text reading ‘standing by my man.’ |
No. | Collage | Title and Description |
---|---|---|
#7 | In Circle of hope, the text and images tell a story in a circular process. Starting on the right, there is an image of a porcelain cup and saucer symbolizing a ‘fragile’ woman. There is a collection of pictures and text, including ‘introspection’ with a woman alone on her bicycle and ‘preparation’ with a pot on a fire. Text, including ‘lifeline’, ‘teach’, ‘love’, ‘mother’, and ‘new generation’ are juxtaposed with images of families and children. In the centre, there is an image of a woman and a volcano next to the word ‘tragedies’ and another image of a Bible, together with the word ‘power.’ | |
#8 | Transcendence features the shape of a woman’s body filled with images and text about resistance and sexual violence. On the left, there is a loudhailer and text which reads, ‘join the resistance’, and on the right, there is text which reads ‘get growing’. The woman carries a traditional basket on her head with text reading, ‘own the struggle.’ On her face, there is an image of a woman walking tall and the words ‘peace of mind’, ‘justice’, and ‘why critical thinking is important for future leaders.’ Lines of text, such as, ‘crime scene do not cross’, divide the woman’s head from her body. | |
#9 | My smile is my story has an African woman on the right, with the words ‘made from Africa.’ On the left, there are images of violence, such as a woman pointing a gun and a man with a gun over his shoulder and text ‘the sins of the father.’ Between these images are the words, ‘double trouble Black’, and below is a group of women sitting around a table, accompanied by the text ‘sister sister.’ Beneath that, words read, ‘don’t crack under pressure’, and there is a picture of a road and the words, ‘high life.’ On the bottom left, a couple embrace with the text ‘peace of mind’. | |
#10 | In a net of expectations, but courageous to overcome is in the form of a tree. The roots section has images of a cross, bread dough and a heart. The trunk reads, ‘belonging,’ ‘happiness’ and ‘understanding.’ On the left of the canopy, text reads, ‘he says’, and a man is sitting with his head in his hands, juxtaposed with the text, ‘breathtaking past and uncertain future.’ In the middle is a rider falling off his motorbike and the words, ‘stress’, ‘spider and others.’ On the right of the canopy are the words, ‘she says’ and there is picture of a mother and baby with, ‘now you can live with a liberty’ and ‘discover creative meeting spaces to help ideas run free.’ | |
#11 | Inspiration showcases many images of women, including a single woman, a woman with her two children, a group of women and a group of children. There is also text reading, ‘leading the way,’ ‘choices choices, find the right career for you’ and ‘aiming higher, achieving great things’. | |
#12 | Plant Roots is presented in the form of a clothes line. A row of colourful pegs secures a variety of images to the line, including a watch, flowers and vases. There is also text hanging on the line, such as ‘discoveries’, ‘inspire’ and ‘comfort zone.’ A South African flag and two circles with the text ‘legacy’ on them are at the top of the collage. At the bottom left hand corner, the artist has traced her hand and signed her first name. | |
#13 | There’s still hope, is divided into a black section in the upper half, and a white section below. These two sections are filled with various images and text about sexual violence. For example, in the dark part, there is a face of a fearful woman surrounded by a dinosaur with an open mouth displaying sharp teeth. There is also the muscular arm of a man and a brain, with text saying, ‘don’t let your scars define you.’ On the white section, below, there is a woman’s smiling mouth above a drawing of a big family, with the word, ‘HOPE’ written in a large font across the centre. | |
#14 | Transforming displays two puzzle pieces with a gap in between them. In the centre is the text, ‘transforming and an image depicting the development of woman from cradle to grave. Other images include a woman looking into a mirror, a thumb print, a woman in a lightbulb, a teacher, an older woman, a woman graduate and a woman behind bars, and one with her finger on her lips. Prominent text includes the words, ‘hope’, ‘unique’, and ‘rising above the odds.’ There are two images of nature, with the accompanying text, ‘nurturing growth’ and ‘flourish into someone new all over.’ | |
#15 | Women Empowerment is a busy collage comprising a collection of images and text, including images of women: single women; women in groups; women and men and a woman with a child. One image shows a man with a basket of laundry and another is of a pile of books. The text which surrounds these images are words such as ‘agency,’ ‘love,’ ‘respect,’ ‘hope,’ ‘unity,’ ‘discipline,’ ‘feel the power’, and ‘go woman’. |
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Treffry-Goatley, A.; De Lange, N.; Moletsane, R.; Mkhize, N.; Masinga, L. What Does It Mean to Be a Young African Woman on a University Campus in Times of Sexual Violence? A New Moment, a New Conversation. Behav. Sci. 2018, 8, 67. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs8080067
Treffry-Goatley A, De Lange N, Moletsane R, Mkhize N, Masinga L. What Does It Mean to Be a Young African Woman on a University Campus in Times of Sexual Violence? A New Moment, a New Conversation. Behavioral Sciences. 2018; 8(8):67. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs8080067
Chicago/Turabian StyleTreffry-Goatley, Astrid, Naydene De Lange, Relebohile Moletsane, Nkonzo Mkhize, and Lungile Masinga. 2018. "What Does It Mean to Be a Young African Woman on a University Campus in Times of Sexual Violence? A New Moment, a New Conversation" Behavioral Sciences 8, no. 8: 67. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs8080067