Differential Gender Perception of Sexual Abuse Among Adolescents in Secondary Schools
Chapter One
Objectives of study
- To study the perception of both genders on sexual abuse in their school.
- To study the difference in the perception of both genders on sexual abuse in their school.
- To identify the consequences of sexual abuse on student‘s academic and social life.
- to identify the coping strategies students adopt against sexual abuse.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Concept of sexual abuse
The University of Virginia defines sexual harassment as ―unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favours, other verbal or physical conduct, or written communications of a sexual nature when:
Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual‘s employment or educational experience;
Submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as the basis for employment or academic decisions affecting such individual; or Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual‘s work, academic performance, or participation in extracurricular activities, or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working or learning environment (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2002).
sexual abuse is intimidation, bullying or coercion of a sexual nature, or the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favours (Paludi, Michele & Barickman, (1991). In some contexts or circumstances, sexual harassment may be illegal. It includes a range of behaviour from seemingly mild transgressions and annoyances to actual sexual abuse or sexual assault (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2002). sexual abuse is a form of illegal employment discrimination in many countries, and is a form of abuse (sexual and psychological) and bullying. For many businesses, preventing sexual abuse, and defending employees from sexual abuse charges, have become key goals of legal decision-making. In contrast, many scholars complain that sexual abuse in education remains a “forgotten secret,” with educators and administrators refusing to admit the problem exist in their schools, or accept their legal and ethical responsibilities to deal with it (Dziech, 1990).
Babylon English dictionary, describes sexual abuse as ―pestering one due to his/her
gender or sexual orientation‖ (Aluede, Imokhire and Idogho .2011). Sexual harassment is harassment or unwelcome attention of a sexual nature. It includes a range of behaviour from mild transgressions and annoyances to serious abuses, which can even involve forced sexual activity.
Types of sexual abuse
Dzeich et al has divided harassers into two broad classes:
Public harassers are flagrant in their seductive or sexist attitudes towards colleagues, subordinates, students, etc.
Private harassers carefully cultivate a restrained and respectable image on the surface, but when alone with their target, their demeanour changes completely.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Study design
Descriptive cross sectional design was adopted for this study to assess the differential gender perception of sexual abuse, it‘s prevalence, types, and coping strategies employed against sexual abuse among secondary school students in Ikorodu, Lagos.
Study population
The study population for this research was all the students in public secondary schools Ikorodu. In total, there were 305 students across the schools.
Sample and sampling procedure
All the 305 students were approached and 291 representing 95.4% consented to participate in the study. All the 291 students were subsequently surveyed.
Method and Instrument for data collection for the study
The instrument used for this study was a semi – structured self-administered questionnaire. A validated self- administered Questionnaire was used to collect information from students about their perception of sexual abuse in the school environment. The questionnaire contained ninety six (96) both open-ended and close-ended questions and it was self-administered. The questionnaire was divided into five sections:
Section A: socio-demographic characteristics of respondents
Section B: Perception of sexual abuse among the respondents.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS AND RESULT PRESENTATION
Demographic information
The socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents are presented in table 4.1. Above three-quarter (78.8%) of the respondents were females while only 21.2% were males. A large majority (88.4%) of the respondents were Christians, a few (10.0%) belong to Islam and Traditional religion (0.4%). The mean age of the respondents was 16.0 ± 4.1 years. More than half (58.0%) of the respondents were within the age bracket 14-16 years while only a few (2.0%) were 20 years above. (Table 4.1)
CHAPTER FIVE
DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Discussion of findings
Consequences of sexual abuse
Findings from the study showed that the common consequences or the effect of sexual abuse on students or victims in the higher institution are hatred towards the perpetrator, having feeling of depression over the incident (80.8%), inability to concentrate on study/academic (68.0%), fear of going to where the incident happened(74.8%) and experienced failure in academic (56.6%). As mentioned by the respondents, the degree of effect differs from person to person. The finding is in line with the study of the American Association of University Women [AAUW] (2006) where they reported physical and emotional effects from sexual abuse on female students: 68% of female students felt very or somewhat upset by sexual abuse they experienced, 6% were not at all upset, 57% of female students who have been sexually harassed reported feeling self-conscious or embarrassed, 55% of female students who have been sexually harassed reported feeling angry and 32% female students who have been sexually harassed reported feeling afraid or scared.
Coping strategies against sexual abuse
The nature many people here is that reservation about sexuality and unwanted sexual conduct. Nearly all students would have seen sexually harassing behaviours—as well as violent assault and rape—on television, in magazines, or in movies. However, most students do not or would not want to discuss their personal experiences with sexual abuse openly. Finding from the study show that about one third of the respondents would report such incidence to school authority, listen to music to soothe the feeling, talk to a pastor/imam, talk to a lecturer about the incidence, identify situation that is likely to lead to sexual abuse and avoid such in the future, break any relationship with the perpetrator of sexual abuse and engaged in verbal confrontation with the abuser.
This is in contrast with the findings of Hill and Silva (2005) reported that about a quarter of female students and 44 percent of male students who have encountered sexual abuse have never told anyone. Dealing with sexual abuse in a contradictory culture is a challenge for any institution. For instance, for colleges and universities—which are simultaneously home, workplace, and learning environment—drawing the line is especially challenging. Nevertheless, dealing with sexual abuse on campus is essential to ensure a safe and welcoming educational climate for all students. Cogin and Fish (2009) also support to Hill and Silva findings that those who are sexually harassed display common coping strategies:, i.e. indirect expression of anger, denial or minimization of the incident, and compliance; as well as feelings of powerlessness, aloneness, fright, humiliation, and incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder (Willness, Steel and Kibeom, 2007). Madison, Hamlin and Hoffman (2002) examined the experiences of perioperative nurses and reported that sexual abuse, sexual intimidation, physical assault, and verbal abuse accounted for 45 percent of all traumatic events reported by perioperative nurses and was a significant source of occupational stress.
Conclusion
sexual abuse has been found to be prevalent among secondary school students in Ikorodu, with the females being the predominant recipients. The act which is of various types occurs at different places within the school environment and it is perpetrated by predominantly male harassers. A number of factors have been identified as predisposing victims to experiencing sexual abuse. The study revealed that institutions of higher learning still have a lot to do to foster a campus climate that is free from bias and harassment so that all students will have equal opportunity to safety and then excel in higher education. As this research documents, higher institution students including those in School of Nursing experience some type of sexual abuse while at school, ranging from unwanted sexual remarks to forced sexual contact, these experiences cause students, especially female students, to feel upset, uncomfortable, angry, and disappointed in their school experience, some find it difficult to concentrate on their academics or experience academic failure . In response, students avoid places on campus, change their schedules, drop classes or activities, or otherwise change their lives to avoid sexual abuse. Many institutions of higher learning have no policies in place, this makes sexual abuse to continue to have a damaging impact on the educational experiences of many students.
Based on the inferences drawn from the study, issues of sexual abuse in the schools have to be dealt with all determination and sincerity. This may suggest the need for a deliberate policy to address sexual abuse. With a sexual harassment policy that is widely circulated the academic community will be able to understand that the school will not tolerate sexual abuse and know that sexual harassment is illegal and is against policy. They will also know where to get professional help.
Recommendations
The challenges and recommendations based on the findings of this study are as follow:
Proper legal definition of what constitutes sexual abuse is needed:
Although the respondents provided an understanding of sexual abuse that was close to the universally acceptable definition, it is still important that all the relevant documents each school should have a clear definition of the same and clear cut information about, and implication of perpetrating sexual abuse should be made available to all stakeholders within the school environment.
A clear school policy on sexual abuse is essential as secondary schools still lags behind in developing a sexual abuse policy.
Clearly defined structures to report cases of sexual abuse should be established and empowered. As already discussed in the findings, the current structures of the school disciplinary committees have proved ineffective in relation to dealing with issues of sexual abuse. secondary schools community doesn‘t trust the current set-up and hence it will not have a long term impact in curbing harassment. Employers and employees should clearly communicate that sexual abuse will not be tolerated. They can do so by establishing an effective complaint or grievance process and taking immediate and appropriate action when an employee complains.
Basic training regarding sexual abuse is highly essential, the culture of silence‘, fear of reprisals and fear of being labeled by the college community (stigmatization) should be ameliorated. There is need for a strong political will amongst stakeholders of nursing education to debate over this issue and find lasting solutions to it as it has constituted major reasons why sexual abuse is on the increase in the school environment
An effective guidance and counseling service within the school environment could help to assist students to find solutions to educational, social, psychological, emotional as well as health problems in the school environment. So there is a dare need to put this in place as it has never been in practice in secondary schools.
There is also need for advocacy. Of importance is the role of concerned local and foreign organizations and government agencies to organize periodic empowerment programmes aimed at reducing incidence of sexual abuse and building effective copping strategies and skills against sexual abuse for students and others in the academic environment.
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