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Violence blamed for spread of HIV in schools
By Graeme Hosken.
2001-08-10

The high level of sexual violence in KwaZulu-Natal schools has contributed to a dramatic spread of HIV in pupils, say international and local academics. They were speaking at the launch of a research project, called Gender, Violence and HIV in KwaZulu-Natal Schools, at the University of Natal. The project is aimed at stopping the spread of HIV through violence in schools after the failure by the government to address the problem. Launched by Dr Elaine Unterhalter and Dr Debbie Epstein from the University of London, along with Professor Robert Morrell and Dr Lebo Moletsane of the Faculty of Education at the University of Natal, the project is focused on schools, where young people are exposed to violence and infected by HIV through violence. Talking at the launch, Unterhalter said they would be looking at the history of violence in South Africa to see how it was affecting the country's school children. Unterhalter said once they knew which strategies were working best, they would have to establish how they could be made sustainable at schools. She said previous research projects had shown that there was an extremely high level of sexual violence at schools against female pupils by male pupils, male teachers and outsiders from the schools. She said despite the project being in its early stages, it was hoped it would provide the necessary information to help curb violence and the spread of HIV in schools. (Source: The Daily News, 07 August 2001)

The high level of sexual violence in KwaZulu-Natal schools has contributed to a dramatic spread of HIV in pupils, say international and local academics. 

They were speaking at the launch of a research project, called Gender, Violence and HIV in KwaZulu-Natal Schools, at the University of Natal. 

The project is aimed at stopping the spread of HIV through violence in schools after the failure by the government to address the problem. 

Launched by Dr Elaine Unterhalter and Dr Debbie Epstein from the University of London, along with Professor Robert Morrell and Dr Lebo Moletsane of the Faculty of Education at the University of Natal, the project is focused on schools, where young people are exposed to violence and infected by HIV through violence. 

Talking at the launch, Unterhalter said they would be looking at the history of violence in South Africa to see how it was affecting the country's school children. 

The aim of the project is to understand what effects different strategies have on reducing the extremely high levels of violence currently plaguing schools. 

As well as this, the project is aimed at bringing HIV awareness to schools through different strategies, she said. 

Unterhalter said once they knew which strategies were working best, they would have to establish how they could be made sustainable at schools. 

This is going to prove difficult because each school is different, which means we will need a number of strategies, she said. 

She said previous research projects had shown that there was an extremely high level of sexual violence at schools against female pupils by male pupils, male teachers and outsiders from the schools. 

This has contributed to the dramatic spread of HIV through the province's and country's schools, which we feel needs to be addressed immediately. 

The launch of an earlier pilot project at two Durban schools has provided vital information, which is currently being analysed. 

However, from other information we have gathered, it appears that although the government has put in some regulations to curb the violence and spread of HIV, it has not done enough to address the problems,said Unterhalter. 

She said despite the project being in its early stages, it was hoped it would provide the necessary information to help curb violence and the spread of HIV in schools. 

Source: The Daily News, 07 August 2001

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