OBJECTIVE: To explore safety for girls in schools, particularly how girls perceive and negotiate dangers and risks associated with the use of toilets. METHODS: Participatory action research over a period of 3 days at three schools in South Africa. Informants were 81 girls 16 years and older, teachers and other relevant school personnel. Data were collected through focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, participant observation, mapping and photography. RESULTS: Toilets had inadequate or no sanitation. Both their use and their avoidance were risky for female students and discouraged hygienic practices. Experience of sexual violence from male students and teachers was a major theme, but unrelated to school toilets. Male teachers used various strategies and opportunities to gain sexual access to the girls and previous experience of victimization prevented the girls from reporting them. CONCLUSION: To ensure a healthy school environment that promotes gender equality, all threats to safety, including the physical and social environment, must be considered.
OBJECTIVE: To explore safety for girls in schools, particularly how girls perceive and negotiate dangers and risks associated with the use of toilets. METHODS: Participatory action research over a period of 3 days at three schools in South Africa. Informants were 81 girls 16 years and older, teachers and other relevant school personnel. Data were collected through focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, participant observation, mapping and photography. RESULTS: Toilets had inadequate or no sanitation. Both their use and their avoidance were risky for female students and discouraged hygienic practices. Experience of sexual violence from male students and teachers was a major theme, but unrelated to school toilets. Male teachers used various strategies and opportunities to gain sexual access to the girls and previous experience of victimization prevented the girls from reporting them. CONCLUSION: To ensure a healthy school environment that promotes gender equality, all threats to safety, including the physical and social environment, must be considered.
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Authors: Kristyna R S Hulland; Rachel P Chase; Bethany A Caruso; Rojalin Swain; Bismita Biswal; Krushna Chandra Sahoo; Pinaki Panigrahi; Robert Dreibelbis Journal: PLoS One Date: 2015-11-09 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Kelly T Alexander; Garazi Zulaika; Elizabeth Nyothach; Clifford Oduor; Linda Mason; David Obor; Alie Eleveld; Kayla F Laserson; Penelope A Phillips-Howard Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2018-08-07 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Jiseon You; Chad Staddon; Alan Cook; James Walker; Jess Boulton; Wayne Powell; Ioannis Ieropoulos Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2020-03-25 Impact factor: 3.390