Original Research

Unreported and unaddressed: Students with disabilities experience of school violence in Zambia

Janet Njelesani, Jessica Si, Drake Swarm
African Journal of Disability | Vol 11 | a849 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/ajod.v11i0.849 | © 2022 Janet Njelesani, Jessica Si, Drake Swarm | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 28 January 2021 | Published: 30 March 2022

About the author(s)

Janet Njelesani, Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, New York University, New York
Jessica Si, Department of Occupational Therapy, New York University, New York, United States of America, United States
Drake Swarm, Department of Occupational Therapy, New York University, New York, United States of America, United States

Abstract

Background: Violence against school children is a prevalent global issue. Despite the high prevalence of school violence in Zambia, there is limited research on students with disabilities’ experiences of school violence.

Objectives: Guided by the socio-ecological model for bullying, the aim of this study was to understand students with disabilities’ experiences of school violence in the Lusaka and Southern provinces of Zambia.

Methods: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted with 14 purposively sampled boys (n = 6) and girls (n = 8) with disabilities. Data were generated using semi-structured interviews and child-friendly methods. Child-friendly methods were co-constructed with Zambian youth with disabilities in order to ensure cultural appropriateness and included vignettes, cartoon captioning, photograph elicitation, drawings, and sentence starters. Qualitative data were analysed by thematic analysis.

Results: The themes illuminated that violence against students with disabilities occurs frequently but goes unaddressed. Moreover, students with disabilities were being blamed for causing the violence, and therefore, considered a risk to others. Participants reported that they turn to trusted teachers for support.

Conclusion: This study illuminates the violence students with disabilities experience within the Zambian education system, with implications for school policies and programmes, peer education, and teacher training to create a safer education environment for students with disabilities.


Keywords

qualitative; Zambia; inclusive education; bullying; violence; disability

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Crossref Citations

1. Education for children and adolescents living with disabilities in sub–Saharan Africa—The gaps and opportunities
Pauline Samia, Katherine Oyieke, Barnabas Kigen, Susan Wamithi
Frontiers in Public Health  vol: 10  year: 2022  
doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.979351