A recent study conducted by The South African Medical Research Council revealed that 10% of the rape cases reported in the country are from higher education institutions.
In light of this, the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) created an enabling environment for Post School Education and Training (PSET) institutions to ensure the effective implementation of policy framework to address GBV at higher education institutions.
Part of the department's initiatives to tackle GBV at institutions included the implementation of the “Higher Health” national entity.
The entity aims to promote the safety of all students and staff by putting in place comprehensive prevention and awareness programmes intended to raise the importance of policies and services addressing GBV, as well as other measures to prevent incidents of GBV.
Highlighting some of the intervention mechanisms that were put in place, Higher Education and Training Minister, Blade Nzimande explained that his department in collaboration with Higher Health, launched several protocols, minimum standards, checklists, and guidelines to assist institutions to put mechanisms in place for reporting and providing support to survivors.
Some of the measures include a 24-hour PSET toll-free crisis hotline, clinical care for treatment of physical injury and prevention of pregnancy, HIV and other STI’s and professional psycho-social offered by counsellors and psychologists.
"Higher health is building student champions across all campuses through their peer-to-peer educator networks to reach out to the community members and support them in understanding GBVF and breaking the stigma.” Says Nzimande
Since its Implementation over 124,964 students were enrolled and capacitated via the Higher Health GBVF second curriculum and over 80,500 students and staff have been assessed using the Higher Health GBVF risk assessment toolkit.
Nzimande believes that the stigma around GBVF has been broken as the department noted that over 8,676 students reporting cases of GBVF in 2021.
University and college campuses have adopted a no-tolerance policy towards GBVF and providing support to all survivors of GBVF remains a pertinent part of interventions.
