Abstract
South Africa has some of the highest rates of Gender Based Violence (GBV) worldwide. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) as microcosms of the South African society have not been spared from this social pandemic of GBV, yet there is limited attention on female students’ experiences. Undergirded by the African feminist perspective, this study utilized descriptive phenomenology to explore the GBV experiences of female students in HEIs. Seventeen female students were purposively sampled from two HEIs in South Africa and data was collected qualitatively and a thematic analysis conducted. The study found that female students experienced various types of GBV which included physical, sexual, verbal, and emotional abuse. The GBV experiences had adverse implications for survivors, including the stripping of their dignity, onset of mental health challenges, human rights violations, deepened vulnerabilities and served as a hindrance to their efforts for economic empowerment. The authors argue that there is a need for the development of policies that promote equality amongst students in HEIs whilst implementing holistic and collaborative efforts in the fight against GBV in HEIs. The authors further highlight an urgent need to train professionals offering services to the survivors of GBV in HEIs to mitigate the harmful effects. The article further recommends that further research be undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of available GBV interventions in HEIs. Current and previous volumes are available at: https://ajsw.africasocialwork.net