Using photovoice to enhance young women’s participation in addressing gender-based violence in higher education

Abstract

ABSTRACT Literature on gendered violence in education suggests that the perspectives of those most affected must inform knowledge generation and interventions. However, research with these populations is fraught with methodological and ethical challenges. This article reflects on photovoice as a method which privileges participants' perspectives. Drawing on a study of gendered violence on a university campus in South Africa, findings suggest gendered violence on campus is fuelled by and intersects with gender inequalities associated with space, social class, and gender identity. Gender violence limits the victim's ability to respond or seek health and justice services, with potentially dire consequences for continued participation and success in education. The article illustrates how photovoice enabled participants to identify critical issues and imagine strategies for change. This has implications for facilitating research that draws insights from marginal groups, such as girls and young women, enabling their activism in highlighting and addressing the challenges they encounter.