SPECIAL ISSUE 1 June 2026
DOI DOI: 10.66434/ijspsy.v1i1si.522

Beyond cyberbullying: An intersectional analysis of technology-facilitated gender-based violence in Schools

Mandisa Makhaye1, Joyce Mnesi Mdiniso1
  1. 1 University of Zululand, South Africa

Abstract

Despite growing concern about online harm in educational settings, technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) in schools continues to be framed predominantly as cyberbullying, obscuring its gendered and structural dimensions. This qualitative systematic review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Six research databases were used to access and review scholarship on TFGBV and intersectionality published between 2014 and 2025. Through thematic analysis, this paper reconceptualises TFGBV as a distinct form of gender-based violence embedded within intersecting systems of power that shape school environments. Drawing on intersectionality theory, the paper argues that digital abuse in schools, including online sexual harassment, image-based abuse, cyberstalking, and gendered harassment, disproportionately affects individuals positioned at the intersections of gender, sexuality, race, disability, and socio-economic marginalisation. By situating TFGBV within broader gender-based violence scholarship, the article demonstrates how gender-neutral policies and disciplinary frameworks often fail to address the structural inequalities that underlie digital harm. The paper advances an intersectional conceptual engagement for understanding how offline hierarchies are reproduced and amplified through digital technologies in school contexts. It concludes by outlining implications for research, policy development, and school-based prevention strategies that move beyond individual misconduct toward addressing systemic power relations. Reframing TFGBV through an intersectional lens is essential to developing equitable, context-responsive interventions in increasingly digitised educational spaces.

How to Cite

Makhaye, M., & Mdiniso, J. M. (2026). Beyond cyberbullying: An intersectional analysis of technology-facilitated gender-based violence in Schools. International Journal of Studies in Psychology, 1(1si), 65–72. https://doi.org/10.66434/ijspsy.v1i1si.522
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