Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to explore the implementation of strategies for
addressing sexual violence among students in selected secondary schools of
Mzimba district. The study was conducted in three secondary schools in Mzimba
district, Northern region of Malawi. The study participants were teachers,
students, deputy head teachers, head teachers, and gender officers. A total of 54
participants, comprising 24 teachers, 24 students, 3 deputy head teachers, 2 head
teachers, and 1 gender officer, were involved. The study used a qualitative
research approach. Six focus group discussions, six interviews, and a
documentary analysis revealed the strategies used in addressing sexual violence
among students at school, how they are implemented, their relevance, and
challenges related to implementation. Guidance and counselling, as well as sexual
education, were the most mentioned strategies. All the participants, representing
100% of the total participants, agreed that guidance counselling and sexual
education are strategies used to address sexual violence among students in
secondary schools. The last mentioned strategy, with 35 % of the total
respondents, was the teachers’ codes of ethics. On the effectiveness of the
strategies, guidance, and counselling were found to be the most effective, with
the highest score of 7 during the pairwise ranking with teachers. The least
effective strategy was professional development. Effective implementation of the
strategies was possible with the involvement and collaboration of different school
actors. Implementation of the strategies was reported to have a tremendous
positive impact in addressing sexual violence among students in schools.
Increased awareness of sexual violence issues was the most reported relevance
for implementing the strategies, with 100 % agreeing. Increased reporting of
sexual violence issues was the least mentioned relevance of the strategies, with
40 respondents representing 74% of the total respondents. Implementing
strategies in schools to address sexual violence among students in secondary
schools shares a common goal of the education needs as well as social
development of the students. Hence, the researchers conclude that effective
implementation of the strategies effectively addresses sexual violence among
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students in secondary schools. Policymakers, school administrators, and
education stakeholders can effectively use the findings of this study in the efforts
to eradicate sexual violence among students in secondary schools. Moreover,
training of teachers on sexual violence issues, provision of support including
safety to victims, and psycho-social support to the perpetrators are significant
recommendations for the study.
