The study reported in this thesis examined the vulnerability and agency of a group of adolescent orphans in the context of sexual violence in and around a township secondary school. This qualitative study was located within a transformative paradigm and employed a participatory visual methodology in its objective to pursue the notion of research as an intervention. Located in one co-educational secondary school in the Inanda, Ntuzuma and Kwamashu township precinct, in KwaZulu-Natal, the study involved 27 adolescents aged 14-17 years, and in Grades eight to 10, who identified as ‘double orphans’ (i.e., those who had lost both their biological parents). To generate data, the study used drawing, collage, photovoice, storyboards, and participants’ written reflections as modes of inquiry and representation. These were supplemented by data generated through interpretive group discussion and my researcher field notes. Data analysis occurred in three layers: the first two layers involved the participants’ analysis of their visual artefacts, the captions they wrote, and the explanations they gave about them during the interpretive group discussions. The third layer involved my thematic analysis of the participants’ data.