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How do existing stigma around sexuality and gender stereotypes shape university students’ experience of finding love on social media and online dating apps in South Africa? Research by KASA Training and Development, under FIRN’s third cycle, investigates students’ experiences of TFGBV. 🧵

TFGBV is always not experienced equally and harm is not distributed randomly but is instead structured around existing social inequalities. While participants clearly described forms of violence and violation, many did not have the language to categorise these experiences as TFGBV.

Participants spoke about deep distrust to the South African law enforcement body, at the same time, doubt in platform governance and moderation system. South African youth need safe spaces where they can talk about TFGBV without being judged, stigmatised or victim-blamed.