Gender-Based Harm in Higher Education

Gender-Based Harm in Higher Education examines the pervasive issue of gender-based violence within South African universities, offering critical insights into institutional responses, policy frameworks, and student activism. This collection brings together leading scholars to analyse how colonial legacies, neoliberal governance, and systemic inequalities intersect to perpetuate harm in academic spaces as well as approaches to addressing sexual harassment, online violence, and procedural justice failures, while centring decolonial and intersectional perspectives.

The volume provides essential analysis for understanding how universities can move beyond compliance-driven responses toward transformative change. With case studies from Eastern Cape institutions and examination of landmark student protests, this book offers practical guidance for developing meaningful prevention strategies and survivor-centred support systems. Essential reading for anyone committed to creating safer, more equitable higher education environments. The chapters in this book were previously published as a special issue in South African Journal on Human Rights.