This project primarily focused on understanding gender and sexual risks among female students in higher education, as young women make up a larger share of the HIV and AIDS pandemic in South Africa. Typically, the age of entry into higher education institutions in South Africa starts at the age of 18, therefore young women in higher education institutions may be part of the above percentage.
Aims and Objectives of this study
What black African female undergraduates at UKZN's Edgewood campus consider risky sexual behaviour. How Black African female undergraduates place gender and gender risk at UKZN's Edgewood campus.
My justification for focusing on black African female undergraduate students and my personal interest in this research study
On my fifteenth birthday, my mother divorced my father, but he continued to live with us because he refused to leave. I could see that my mother could not leave my father easily because she had three children to take care of and no well-paid job.
Theory underpinning this study: Gender power relations and Sexuality
By sharing my own personal story, I remain and show commitment to my study and my participants. Thus, my study does not judge female students, but tries to understand what meanings they give to sexuality, how it is embedded in gender relations and gender inequalities, and how we can begin to interrupt the processes that lead to sexual vulnerabilities, including unwanted pregnancy and risk of HIV.
Brief outline of Chapters
It then summarizes the key findings of this study and makes preliminary recommendations based on the findings of this study, in an effort to raise awareness of issues related to gender inequalities, vulnerabilities, and risk-taking among female students at higher universities. educational institutions in South Africa. The next chapter is Chapter Two, which presents the literature and the two theories used as the framework for this study.
Introduction
Gender, HIV and South Africa
According to Luseno and Wechsberg (2009, p.178), the HIV and AIDS epidemic continues to increase in South Africa “where between 4.9 and 6.1 million people are infected. Shisana, et al., (2010) argue that the HIV and AIDS epidemic in South Africa is associated with gender inequality.
Gender, sexuality and university cultures in South Africa
The identified sexual risk behaviors include having “multiple and simultaneous sexual partners, not using condoms and casual sex” (Mutinta, et al., 2012, p. 353). HIV infection is widespread and behaviors that make students vulnerable to HIV occur on all campuses in South Africa (Mulwo, et al., 2009).
Gender and risky sexual vulnerabilities faced by young women
According to Harrison, et al., (2012) approximately one third of women in South Africa experience a first birth by age 19. Stereotypical gender and sexuality roles also make young women vulnerable and at greater risk of HIV infection.
Gendered power relations and inequalities
Gendered power relations and inequalities - Sexual Coercion
Hoffman et al. (2006, p. 52) argue that “young men support the right to unrestricted access to their partners' bodies”. Young women in relationships with older partners are at risk, as the latter often have a history of multiple relationships (Mutinta, et al., 2012).
Gendered power relations and inequalities - Transactional Sex
Transactional sex is open to multiple definitions, and many authors fail to define it specifically. According to Dunkle, et al., (2004, p.1416), evidence shows that transactional sex is linked to unwanted sexual and reproductive health outcomes such as "unintended pregnancy, abortion, violence, and HIV and STIs".
Theoretical framework/Conceptual framework
According to Connell (2012, p.1677), “the institutionalized control of women's reproductive capacities by men is central to patriarchal gender orders.” According to Butler (1990), sexuality is an area of our lives where the meanings we have created are often imbued with value.
Conclusion
The attached meanings are "moral meanings" which then tell us how we should think and behave based on the social and economic structure of the society in which we live. The attached meanings are “moral meanings” which then tell us how we should think and behave, which is derived from the social and economic structure of the society in which we live.
Introduction
Research design and paradigm
In the interpretive approach, the researcher seeks to understand the nature of social reality, whereby knowledge is created through dialogue for examples through interviews, and results are not found, as dialogic and in-depth research are the preferred methods (Christiansen, 2010, p. 23). The researcher is also connected to the participant in that they can share similar realities and how they understand each other and the world.
Research Site
This study focused on black African female students as it is estimated that in KwaZulu Natal “15.64 percent of black African women were likely” to be HIV positive within the age group of 15-24 years, compared to women of other race groups in that age. group and infections were greater than in men of the same and other racial groups (Gilbert and Selikow, 2012). Because the focus is on collecting rich, in-depth qualitative data, my sample size consisted of ten Black African female students. The criterion I used was simple: black African female students, as my research focused on young black African female students.
Data Collection
Her community on her grandparents' farm is a community where everyone knows each other and is very traditional. She described her community as mainly dominated by the African race group where the crime rate is very high and it is in the middle working class area. Most of them describe their home communities as unsafe or as Thobeka describes her community: dominated mainly by the African race group where the crime rate is very high and it is in the middle working class area.
Actual interview process
There were also instances where a group of boys thought I was interesting and tried to be observers of the interview, so the participant and I had to move to another area as they quickly became distracting to the participant and me. This was hugely annoying and disappointing to me, but the participant wanted to continue the interview, so she got a friend to help her. The interviews themselves were both exciting and a challenging experience for me, but I was relieved that the students were able to communicate freely with me, and almost every time I found the interview process to be an enlightening and eye-opening experience.
Validity, Reliability and Ethics
Autonomy” refers to participants involved in the study who had to provide signed consent, voluntarily accepted part of the study, and were given the freedom to withdraw at any time. Usefulness' means that the study should be useful to the participants and to other researchers or society in general. There were times when the participants expressed their lack of confidence when speaking in English with me - they felt shy of me and thought I would probably laugh at them.
Data Analysis
As a mother, wife and teacher, I have found that balancing personal and academic life is quite difficult. I moved to a new house which is bigger and I found that finding time to devote to my studies proved difficult at first, but eventually I found ways to manage my time effectively.
Conclusion
The chapter that follows is the data analysis chapter which will draw on two theoretical frameworks (Connell's gender power theory and Butler's gender and sexuality theory); scientific discussions and arguments that were integrated into the analysis and discussion of the data, framed by themes.
Introduction
Female students, campus life and peer pressure
However, this does not mean that the female students are victims or are ignorant of the power relations. Researcher: Do you know any black female students who are physically or verbally abused by their partners? Nxolo claims that black African female students are still in abusive relationships because a possible reason could be financial gain or dependency.
Love, sex and gifts
Another way in which female students are exposed to HIV infection and AIDS is through transactional sex. Gukurume (2011) asserts that female students engage in transactional sex as a means of escaping poverty and assistance to pay for their university studies. Participants also discuss how female students may be involved in sugar daddy relationships and the possible reasons for this.
Relationship dynamics, student femininities and sexual risks
In the excerpt above, Thandeka explains how black female students can be pressured by their partners to do what they say, which is to have sex with them. The pledge articulates that female students can listen to their partner because he may be more sexually experienced. Researcher: Do you think there are different reasons why male and female students may have sex before marriage?
Resisting sexual domination –agency in female students
There may also be female students who are not in favor of condom use as it appears and it seems Thandeka is one of them. The participants above challenge accepted gender role norms when they express their sexual desires which shows that not all participants are passive victims of male sexual dominance as female students may also want sex for pleasure and it is not only men who reject condom use as Thandeka . and Boniswa points out. Although black African female students may be involved in risky sexual behaviour, it cannot always be assumed that they are unaware or in denial about how they can contract sexually transmitted diseases.
Sex education
The participants above mention that women should not pretend to be ignorant about sex. For the participants above, it seems easier and more comfortable to talk about sex with their friends. The participants show a reluctance to talk to campus nurses because of their discomfort in talking about sex with a parent.
Conclusion
In the first chapter – the introductory chapter, an overview of the background, focus, aims and objectives of this study was given. Chapter three provides an in-depth discussion and description of the research design appropriate for this study. This chapter provided an in-depth analysis of the meanings, meanings, knowledge and attitudes of the selected group of Black African female university students regarding sexuality and risk-taking in the context of HIV and AIDS in South Africa.
Main findings
Some participants also mentioned why female students remain in abusive relationships by revealing the dynamics of gender inequalities in intimate partner relationships. The study went on to discuss how black female students may have been implicated in risk-taking behavior by notions of love, trust, and receiving gifts. There is a prevalence of 'sugar daddy' relationships which can place female students in situations of sexually risky behaviour.
Tentative Recommendations
Counseling centers are available on campuses for students regarding HIV, yet many of the participants in this study expressed their embarrassment about talking to campus nurses about sexual issues. The forms of agency expressed by participants begin with their conceptions of what power means to them in relationships—for some of the participants in this study it meant economic power and education—which may be indicative of how young women can achieve "agency." Theirs". practice" to achieve equal gender relations (Maxwell and Aggleton, 2010, p.342). The participants in this study were not victims, but highlight the complexity of university life that suggests the many and varied forms of resources that can be exchanged for sexual intimacy.
Conclusion
- Ethical clearance certificates
- Letter of consent
- Biographical details questionnaire of each participant
- Semi-structured interview schedule (individual interviews)
- Turn It in Report
The epidemic in this country has the face of the female gender and HIV/AIDS in South Africa. Perceptions of risky sexual behavior and substance abuse among adolescents in South Africa: a qualitative investigation. This project is essentially focused on understanding gender and sexual risk among female university students, as young women account for a greater proportion of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in South Africa.
BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS QUESTIONNAIRE
SEMI – STRUCTURED INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEW SCHEDULE
Do you think black female students can freely talk to medical staff on campus about sex? Do you think campus residences and campus areas are safe for women? Do you think more information should be given to female students on campus about sexual dangers?
TURN IT IN REPORT
