Durban — A graduate whose research focused on documented and undocumented women of foreign descent, challenging gender-based violence (GBV) in Durban amid xenophobia, plans to pursue post-doctoral studies.
University of KwaZulu-Natal graduate Dr Venencia Nyambuya received a PhD in Media and Cultural Studies for her research which focused on documented and undocumented women of foreign descent, challenging GBV in Durban amid xenophobia.
Nyambuya said that violence and the abuse of women present an alarming challenge to development policy-makers because of the destabilisation and undermining of the human rights agenda.
“I wanted to enable their (the affected women) voices to be heard and felt, and the best way to achieve that was to listen to their life stories,” Nyambuya said.
“In South Africa, GBV pervades the political, economic and social structures of society and is driven by strongly patriarchal social norms and complex intersectional power inequalities including those of gender, race, class and sexuality.”
Although several studies on GBV have been conducted in South Africa, Nyambuya argues that little has been done on the lived experiences of female migrant victims who are facing the twin dangers of being an African foreigner as well as a woman.
“Foreign African women have not only been subjected to abuse and violence but are not given a platform to voice their experiences in public; rather, the discussions are left in the four walls of counselling rooms should they get there,” Nyambuya said.
“Most of the women who formed part of my study are illegal immigrants who fear being in the public eye because of their immigration status. Being foreign nationals exacerbates their exposure to xenophobia and GBV.”
While conducting fieldwork, Nyambuya extended herself to fit the role of a counsellor, encouraging some of the women to start small businesses such as hairdressing or becoming a street vendor to earn money to put food on the table.
“When the abuse happened in their homes, some would call me, seeking advice. Despite offering counselling, they would often go back to their abuser as if nothing had happened, and it becomes a vicious cycle. Most women, when advised to attend counselling sessions, were too shy to go, and that was a huge challenge for me. I had to encourage them in subtle ways. Some eventually sought professional help,” Nyambuya said.
Nyambuya plans to pursue post-doctoral studies.
Her advice to other students is: “This journey is one that you should walk at your own pace. Shortcuts are not always the best cuts. Take your time and produce a thesis you will be proud of.”
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