Female students as victims of sexual abuse at institutions of higher learning: insights from Kwazulu-natal, South Africa

The focus of the wider study on which this paper is based was to uncover the social context of the sexual victimisation phenomenon in three selected institutions of higher learning in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. The objectives of the study were to examine the nature of sexual victimisation against female students in selected universities in Durban; to determine the factors that contribute to the sexual victimisation of female students; to investigate the effects of sexual victimisation on female students and to explore the reasons for female students’ reluctance to report sexual victimisation. The sample comprised a total of 60 participants  who had been purposively selected from three universities in the study area. The data were collected by means of interviews and were thematically analysed. The study found that incapacitated rape is more common on campuses than forcible rape, which is when perpetrators use threats and/or physical force. This could be attributed to the excessive use of alcohol and drugs by both victims and perpetrators. The study also confirmed that female students are reluctant to report sexual victimisation to the authorities. A key recommendation is that security measures need to be upgraded to ensure a safe environment for female students on campuses in the study area.