FACTORS
RESPONSIBLE FOR SEXUAL HARASSMENT AMONG UNDERGRADUATES
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background
of the study
The issue of sexual harassment has been
addressed in the realm of violence against women. Violence against women is a
universal, historical and common phenomenon. Studies conducted across the globe
have revealed that violence against women is the most common and widely spread
problem faced by women and girl in all culture. Thus it transcends income,
class, race and ethnicity. Such violence relegates millions of women and girls
to the margin of society where their rights and safety are denied.
Female students in Nigeria colleges and universities
have unique experiences of sexual harassment from male faculty, staff, and
peers. Though sexual harassment is a global concept that affects virtually
women of all races, ages, and colors Nigerian women experience more elusive
types of harassment. In other countries or cultures, sexual harassment is a
behavior that is generally unacceptable in any public setting. Nigerian society
does not accept the concept of harassment and so does not perceive harassment
as evil or a violation of women's right. In some State for instance, sexual
harassment was indirectly legitimized by teaching and nonteaching staff.
According to the 2013 United Nations
global review of available data (UN), 35 percent of women worldwide have
experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or
non-partner violence (UN, 2013). The same study has revealed that some national
violence studies shows that 70 percent women have experienced violence in their
life time. In similar fashion the world health organization (WHO) studies has
confirmed that violence against women, affects more than one third of all women
globally (WHO, 2013). The absence of a minimum age for sexual consent and
marriage exposes children to partner violence in some countries. Globally, at
least one in three women and girls have been beaten or sexually abused in her
lifetime. Violence against women expressed in multifarious sort; from
psychological intimidation and coercion to severe physical violence. Physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring within
the general community: including rape, sexual abuse, sexual harassment and
intimidation at work, in educationalinstitutions and elsewhere, trafficking in
Women, and forced prostitution. Physical, sexual and psychological violence
perpetrated or condoned by the State wherever it occurs. Despite a number of
international legal interventions, violence against women remained to be
achallenge for the realization of women’s human rights (Elegbeleye,
2016).
Sexual harassment is the most common form of sexual
victimization. In spite of the importance of this topic in the social context
we live in, Sexual harassment is a cankerworm that has eaten deep into the
fabric of the society. The menace of sexual harassment has become widespread in
recent years. It has also assumed different natures from place to place. Sexual
harassment is any non-consensual sexual contact or sexual threat. Sexual
contact includes (but is not limited to) unwelcome sexual behavior like kissing,
and/or intentional touching of another person’s sexually sensitive parts
(breasts, buttocks, genital area, groin or inner thigh, or the clothing
covering these areas), and any other unwelcome sexual behavior (Adedokun,
(2014)..
Some number of factors that are responsible for female
students being sexually harassed by male lecturers. These include lust, pursuit
of happiness, lack of norm of morality, lack of conscience, pursuit of
pleasure, lack of temperance, passion, habit, value, personality disorder, inferiority
complex, poverty, indecent dressing, immaturity,
cheapness, cohabitation, abuse of power, and suffering from demonology.
Previous studies among students of Nigerian tertiary institutions have reported
cases of sexual harassment. It was found out that close to one half of the
subjects had been victims of sexual harassment and 67.9 percent of the subjects
thought that harassment on campus was a serious problem occurring at a rate
sufficient to warrant some concern and official action. Some report show the
cases of sexual harassment that exist among tertiary institutions students. The
study noted that a female undergraduate student was harassed in one of the
tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
Most sexual harassment in higher institution revolve
around a combination of factors: individuals who are predisposed to reacting
physically when confronted with the need to discipline oneself, environmental
circumstances within their school system, social isolation and neglect among
students, lack of support from other students and lack of social and economic
power. Emotional immaturity is considered to be the greatest cause of
destructive behavior Abati (2016). The students are unable to cope, because of
immaturity, situations and stress that occur generally throughout society. The males are more demonstrative. A male
student may use the advantage of being more intelligent than his female
course-mate to make sexual advances to her before helping her out of an
academic problem. More so, use of campus gang and secret cults has been known
to serve as instruments of sexual harassment of students in tertiary
institutions (Abati, 2016).
However, it will be naive for anybody to believe
that it is only males who harass females. Accusing fingers pointing at males do
not exonerate the females from this societal malaise. The only reason why it
may not be easily discerned that a female is actually harassing a male is that
females are more subtle in their approach. Females also harass men by their
indecent way of dressing. Some female students sexually harass their male
lecturers. They do not attend lectures, preferring to consult with the
lecturers privately. They know the power they possess and they exploit this to
the fullest. They flaunt themselves and taunt the lecturers into sacrificing
their conscience and integrity on the altar of immorality. It may sound absurd
that females can sexually harass fellow females, but it does happen. The case
of lesbians is rampant in higher institutions. The incidences of lesbians are usually
tied to the wrong moral upbringing of the girls but it is a form of sexual
harassment. It does not necessarily begin in adulthood; it may begin as early
as middle childhood. Hardly a day passes in Nigeria today without stories and
reports of sexual harassment in tertiary institutions in Nigerian newspapers.
According Abati (2016) sexual harassment as a
phenomenon affecting the wellbeing of members of an organization came to be
recognized in the 1970s. While it was mainly associated with situations in a
traditional workplace, incidents constituting sexual harassment in structures
that feature more mixed organizational relationships also came to be
highlighted. One such structure is the educational institutions. Sexual
harassment in a university setting worldwide is quite pervasive. It is on this
backdrop the study assess factors responsible for sexual harassment among
undergraduates in Ekiti State University.
Statement
of the Problem
Sexual
harassment has posed a tremendous challenge to Nigeria students and this
problem has affected their effectiveness in their various academic fields.
The problem of sexual harassment among
students from Ekiti State University ranged from stress related symptoms such
as loss of memory to self blame, lack of trust and concentration in class.
Changes in the lifestyles of the victims include non-attendance of classes as
well as cancellation of courses. The types of sexual harassment and the forms
as well are extremely widespread at universities and everywhere in the
community. Sexual harassment can be devastating and most sexual harassments
have nothing to do with flirtation or sincere sexual or social interest. Rather
it is offensive, often frightening and insulting to women. Women are often
forced to leave universities to avoid sexual harassment and some individuals
might experience serious psychological, social, educational and emotional
–related problems. Sexual harassment does not happen because women dress
provocatively or initiate sexual activity in the hope of getting promoted or
advancing their careers. Victims of sexual harassment vary in physical
appearance, type of dress and behaviour. Female students who are sexually harassed by
their male classmates, do not finish their work because they will be pestering
around. Sexual harassment makes universities a dangerous place to be for female
students.
Another problem is the effect of sexual harassment
on academic performance which the female
students suffers. The female students find it very hard to concentrate on their
work. Some even lose interest in studying and transfer to new universities or
simply leave school as a result of hopelessness and pregnancy if they had
unsafe sex with their perpetrators. Cementing these experiences is Astin’s
theory of student involvement, which states that sexually harassed students may
display avoidance behaviour which includes the environment that promotes such
behavior. Based on the above problem, the students would provide solution to
the research question of this study
Research
Questions
The following research questions were raised;
i.
What
are factors responsible for sexual harassment In Ekiti State University.
ii.
What
is the effect of sexual harassment among the male and female undergraduate
students in the tertiary institutions in Ekiti State?
iii.
What
is the level of sexual harassment among undergraduate students in the different
tertiary institutions in Ekiti State?
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to assess factors
responsible for sexual harassment among undergraduates in Ekiti State
University. Specific the purpose is to:
·
To examine the prevalence of sexual
harassment in Ekiti state university?
·
To investigate gender differences in
sexual harassment among tertiary institution students in Ekiti State?
·
To examine the difference in the sexual
harassment experienced by undergraduate students in Ekiti state university?
·
To find out the extent of sexual harassment
experienced by male to female students, male to male student, female to female,
male lecturer to female student and female student to male lecturer in Ekiti
state university
·
To provide possible solution to the
cause of sexual harassment in tertiary institution?
Research Hypotheses
1.
There is no significant relationship
between female student and sexual harassment.
2.
There is no significant relationship
between male students and sexual
harassment.
3.
There is no significant relationship
between indecent dressing and sexual harassment.
4.
There is no significant relationship
between poverty and sex harassment.
Significance
of the Study
It was hoped that the study would enable policy
makers to create or improve policy initiatives that protect the rights of
female student in Ekiti State University. Also, through this study, higher
education institutions in the continent of African especially in Nigeria may
establish prevention and intervention programs that would address the needs of
the female student’s victims as well as protect them from future attacks.
The study would enable the students to know factors
responsible for sexual harassment and how
to prevent it. It would also educate students why they should dress well in
order to avoid sexual harassment.
The study would serve as a guide to students who may
want to carryout research on similar topic. Finally, the study would add to
existing literature and serve as
reference material for other researchers.
Delimitation of the
Study
The research will be delimited
to assessment
of the factors responsible for sexual harassment among undergraduates in Ekiti
State University. The study will also be delimited to Sandwich
Students and Student in Faculty of Education running full time Programme.
Definition
of Terms
Sexual
Harassment: Sexual harassment is defined in this
study as unwelcomed sexually determined behavior, physical contact and
advances, sexually-colored remarks, showing of pornography and sexual demands.
Perception:
Perception
is the representation of an external event that affect the senses and which by
perceptual processing caused the activation of a certain category in the mind.
Educational
Experience: Educational experience in this study is
measured by equity in the involvement of academic and social learning as well
as in sharing institution's available resources.
Gender:
Gender
refers to the socially constructed role ascribed to males and females (as
opposed to sex, which denotes the biological distinction between males and
females).
Involvement
is
defined in this study as the physical and psychological energy women invested to
academics and extracurricular activities, integrating within the University community
and the amount of time spent on tasks and within campus environment.
CHAPTER
TWO
REVIEW
OF RELATED LITERATURE
This
chapter presents the review of literature under the following sub-headings;
·
Concept
of Sexual Harassment
·
Sexual Harassment on University Campuses
·
Forms of Sexual Harassment
·
Types of Sexual Harassment in the
University
·
Factors responsible for Sexual Violence
·
The Effects of Sexual Harassment
·
Gender and Power Differences in the issue of Sexual
Harassment
·
Victims of Sexual Harassment
·
Perpetrators of Sexual Harassment
·
Sexuality and Masculinity
·
Normalisation of Violence
·
Reporting Sexual Harassment
·
Risk factors for Sexual Harassment
