SUFFERING AT SCHOOL

This 2005 report presents the results of the first national-scale survey on gender-based violence (GBV) in Malawian schools, conducted in February and March 2005. The study interviewed 4,412 children aged nine and older and 632 teachers to assess the extent of physical, sexual, economic, and emotional violence. It highlights a pervasive culture of bullying and sexual abuse occurring at school, at home, and during the commute, while examining the role of teachers in both perpetrating and addressing such violence.

• A significant proportion of Malawian school children experience fear and danger during their commute to school. Approximately 23.8% of children are scared of walking to school, primarily fearing attacks (71.1%) or bullying (12.5%). Additionally, 19.4% of children reported personal encounters with problems on the way to school.
• Violence is widespread among school children, with bullying being nearly universal. While 99% of children reported being bullied, 23.8% reported being forced to have sex against their will, 14% reported unwanted touching of genitals or breasts, and 3.9% of children over 13 reported forced oral sex. Girls are the most frequent victims, though boys also experience significant levels of sexual violence and bullying.
• The location of abuse varies by the type of violence and the age of the child. Bullying (55.3%) and forced touching (52.5%) most frequently occur at school. Conversely, forced sex (57.3%) and oral sex for older children (53.5%) are most likely to occur at home. Children in rural areas are more likely to be victimized than those in urban areas, particularly regarding bullying and unwanted sexual touching.
• Repeat victimisation is a common occurrence for children in Malawi. Specifically, 70.6% of children who were bullied experienced it more than once, 57.6% of those forcibly touched were victimized repeatedly, and 54.0% of those forced to have sex experienced it on more than one occasion.
• Perpetrators are typically known to the victims. In 93.5% of bullying cases, 88.7% of forced touching cases, and 89.4% of forced sex cases, the child knew the offender. Classmates are the most common perpetrators overall, though children aged 13 and younger most frequently identified non-parental figures from home as abusers.
• Transactional sex is prevalent among older children, often driven by poverty. Approximately 18.7% of children who experienced sexual violence reported receiving or being offered gifts or services, most commonly money (82%) or food (11%), in exchange for sexual favors.
• There is significant evidence of sexual exploitation by teachers in exchange for academic favors. About 33% of children aged 14+ and 22.9% of children aged 13 and younger reported that teachers demand sex in return for better grades. Furthermore, 19.8% of teachers admitted awareness of colleagues enticing students into 'love relationships,' with 73.7% of those aware stating this happens at their own school.
• Reporting rates for abuse range between 60% and 65.5%, with bullying being the most reported and sexual violence the least. Girls and older children are more likely to report incidents. While forced sex and oral sex are most commonly reported to parents, unwanted touching is most often reported to friends.
• Action taken following reports of abuse is often minimal, frequently consisting only of a warning to the perpetrator. This is especially true for forced touching (77%), forced sex (75%), and forced oral sex (75.8%). Despite this, a high percentage of children reported being satisfied with the response, which the report suggests may reflect low expectations or a lack of awareness of the crime's seriousness.
• Children's knowledge of their rights is relatively high but not always practiced. 71.6% of children had heard the phrase 'children's rights,' and most expressed awareness of the right to refuse sex. However, when faced with problems, 56% would talk to a parent and 26% to a teacher or counselor.
• Teachers' attitudes and practices show contradictions regarding child rights and discipline. While 95.6% of teachers believe children have rights that adults should respect, 36.3% still use corporal punishment as a means of discipline, despite it being banned in Malawi.

APA

Burton, P. (2005). SUFFERING AT SCHOOL. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SUFFERINGATSCHOOL.PDF

Chicago

Burton, Patrick. SUFFERING AT SCHOOL. Institute for Security Studies, 2005. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SUFFERINGATSCHOOL.PDF.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Burton |first1=Patrick |title=SUFFERING AT SCHOOL |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=October 2005 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SUFFERINGATSCHOOL.PDF |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{burton2005suffering, author = {Burton, Patrick}, title = {{SUFFERING AT SCHOOL}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2005}, month = oct, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SUFFERINGATSCHOOL.PDF}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }