Experience of sexual harassment and coping strategies among students of the school of nursing of a tertiary hospital in Southwest Nigeria

Abstract

This descriptive cross-sectional study documented the experience of sexual harassment (SH) and coping strategies among 250 consenting students of University College Hospital, Ibadan school of nursing, using a pre-tested questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square test were used to analyze the data at 5% level of significance. Mean age was 23.0 ± 4.1 years, 78.8% were females and 91.2% perceived SH to be common in the school. Fifty-eight percent of respondents (20.0% males, 80.0% females) had ever been sexually harassed. Main perpetrators of SH against females were male resident doctors (24.5%) and male patients (11.3%) while female colleagues (44.8%) and female patients (20.7%) were for males. Types of SH experienced were unwanted body contact (79.3%), breast contact (67.6%), enticement (45.5%), attempted rape (39.3%) and unwanted kiss (26.3%). Attending parties and mode of dressing were positively associated with experience of SH. Main coping strategies employed were reporting to school authority, ignoring the perpetrator, confrontation and breaking up the relationship. Sexual harassment is prevalent among the students studied, with females more affected. Coping strategies adopted were adjudged ineffective. Institutional based interventions such as sensitization, capacity building on coping strategy skills, legislation and policy reviews are needed to address these concerns.

Sexual Abuse among Female Undergraduates in Tertiary Institutions in IMO State, Southeast Nigeria: Prevalence, Pattern and Determinants

“…This figure was within the range reported in WHO multi-county life-time prevalence of sexual partners violence among women aged 15 -49 years, (6% to 59%) [16] [17]. It was also comparable to the prevalence rate reported in a university from the same region of the country, (36.7%) [29] but studies from two other regions of the country; South-South region, (51.7% and 46.7%) [30] [31] and South West, (58%) [48] reported higher prevalence rates. Nevertheless, lower figures were reported among students from universities in Northern region of the country, (13.8% and 22.2%) [33] [34].…”

Perception and Experiences of Sexual Harassment among Nursing Students in Alexandria, Egypt

“…It is also necessary to provide awareness session for the nurses who are at high risk for harassment for the recognition of the concept of harassment and what behaviors constitute harassment. This come in line with the results of Arulogun O et al (2013) (22) , and Lee S et al 2011 (11) where more than half of nursing students were exposed to harassment in the clinical training whether by touch of the patients, their relatives or other health care team members.…”

“…They may deny or minimize the experience particularly when their attacker was an acquaintance or spouse. Some may reach out for assistance, while others may withdraw (22,23) . These different reactions were reflected in the current study as less than two fifth of the female students reported confusion and fear upon harassment.…”

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Case Study of the Nigerian Legal Sector

“…Likewise, the survey conducted among selected Nigerian bank workers revealed the tolerance of distress as a ground for coping, which might further lead to workplace deviances and high attrition rate (Amazue et al, 2014). In disparity with our finding, the main coping strategies adopted by their respondents were to report to the authority (Arulogun et al, 2013). This research finding is also consistent with some previous studies which found that the culture of silence rather than speaking out is the major means of managing sexual violence within the Nigerian community (Awosusi and Ogundana, 2015;Fapohunda, 2014).…”