Espousing Agency to Tackle Gender-Based Violence: Reflections of Durban University of Technology Students

Agency, the willpower of an individual or social entity as a force of transformation, is unpacked within this article as an approach to dealing with social vices like gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa. It is an open secret that South Africa continues to struggle with ending acts of violence and their ripple effects on society. Hence, the main notions of this discourse dwell on the application of student agency and higher institutions (agentic spaces) as viable instruments to intervene in mitigating GBV. This article discusses how these are brought to the fore through reflective writing as a participatory method. Data were elicited from the responses of 66 purposively sampled Durban University of Technology students who consented to the use of their class reflections. This was based on their deliberation on what they learned and the regurgitation of their views or understanding of such subject matters in the article. It was a useful instrument that provided a safe and anonymous space for students to express themselves on the examined subject matter. These writings, which form the article's data, were analysed thematically. The article established that students were willing to make a change and do things differently, especially in positions of influence, such as parents or guardians of their children or wards. They would achieve this by instilling values such as respect and love in a more cohesive society. They saw the need for personal as well as collective responsibilities to educate others about not being enablers of violence but those who spread peace through educational systems, media, campaigns and awareness programmes. The study reveals how student-centred learning, through participatory methodologies, can stimulate agency on social issues such as GBV. Therefore, the study advocates and recommends more inclusive, applicable, and practicable pedagogy in the fight against GBV.