Factors Affecting Sexual Harassment - Research Paper Example

Sexual Harassment al Affiliation) The purpose of this study was to investigate sexual harassment directed on university students. The study used data obtained from the students within the campus. Specifically the study established how policy and organizational practice affected the condition of sexual harassment directed on students within the University, the prevalence and nature of sexual harassment that was experienced by the students in the University, the causes and effects of sexual harassment to the students within the University. The study established that there was prevalence and different forms of sexual harassment directed towards University students. It was also clear that the policy on sexual harassment in the University was not effective due to inaccessibility and ignorance on the content of the policy. The findings faulted the university unpreparedness to deal with the aftermath of sexual harassment and also the inadequacy that was noted in terms of practices and the resourcefulness of the university to deal with sexual harassment. The research recommended the increase avenues of accessing the policy documents, the creation of awareness and major changes like including gender studies as a common unit in the university. The study also recommended that the university to improve the quality of the reporting of sexual harassment to the form that could be easily accessed by the victimized students. Increase in the intelligence was also recommended by the study among other recommendations. Introduction This section is an introduction of factors affecting Sexual Harassment directed on students in the University. It contains background of the study, problem statement, as well as objectives of the study. It also consists of significance of the study. Background of the study Throughout the theoretical history of sexual harassment, scholars from multiple disciplines in the social sciences have grappled with a diverse set of interpretation of the definitions to conceptualize this abstract idea. According to Kenyatta University Sexual Harassment policy; (2010), sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that tends to create a hostile or offensive work environment. Bingham, S and Scherer, L. (2001) defines sexual harassment to include some specific range of offensive behaviors. In his argument, he suggested that the behavior is always repetitive and intended to present some disturbance and also to upset. He underscores this definition by saying that sexual harassment could refer to unwanted and persistent sexual advances. Typically, this takes place in the workplace which is characterized by facing disadvantageous situation because of refusing to offer some favors. The concept of “sexual harassment has overtime grown to be one of the most controversial widespread and indeed controversial human resource problems globally. Sexual harassment has simply been defined as unwanted conduct of a sexual nature. The fact that it is unwanted presents sexual harassment to be different from a consensual behavior. According to the South African Code of Good Practice, for sexual attention to be regarded as sexual harassment, a few conditions need to be met. First, the behavior needs to be persisted in, although just a single occurrence of harassment can amount to sexual harassment; and/or the recipient has indicated clearly that the behavior is considered offensive; and/or the perpetrator has knowledge of the fact that the behavior is regarded as unacceptable. Over time, the issue of sexual harassment has been viewed to be moral, health and human right issue. It has also been examined as a form of discrimination. There have been scattered ideas that allows many policies to struggle to define the concept of sexual. In this paper, the focus will be on the sexual harassment experienced in the learning institutions at all levels. According to American Association of University Professors, (AAUP 2002), sexual harassment is noted to be a form of sex discrimination which is recognized under some laws, such as: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibiting sex discrimination in the terms and employment condition as well as Title IX of the Education Amendment prohibiting sexual discrimination in relation to educational programs and activities. According to the AAP, The law categorizes two forms of sexual harassment. First, the Quid pro quo; this type of sexual harassment is experienced when the conditions or terms of employment, or benefits in education setting, are associated with the sexual favors. The harassment of this nature entails an indirect contract grounded on a power relationship. For that reason, perpetrators must be employees or agents possessing some authority in the institution. In such cases, the law insists that the institution is responsible for the sexual harassment. The second one is the Hostile Environment. With this, the law notes that the institution should observe its duty that gives a nondiscriminatory environment for learning and working. When harassment gets sufficiently severe, then a hostile environment may be claimed. This severe harassment may also be persistent and pervasive and may interfere or limit the conditions and terms of education and employment benefits. Anyone can create a hostile environment so long as they are involved in the university program or activities. This may include faculty members, administrators, students or sometime university guests. University may only be liable for such harassment if they had received some notice of the harassment and they have failed to respond towards it in a timely manner. "Mere offensiveness" is not enough to qualify as sexual harassment. Broadly, most institutions have generally focused on the sexual harassment policies to be the guiding principle on how to address this vice. Some institutions have brought together students and faculty members in one policy while other institutions have provided different policies for students and faculty. Statement of the problem There is lack of clarity and certainty of the existence of sexual harassment directed towards students in the University. This is majorly contributed by the lack of information by the students on the forms of sexual harassments, the methods of reporting as well as feeling helpless (Ruto;2005) Findings from the study on the nature and prevalence of sexual harassment indicated that indeed there was sexual harassment directed on students within the university. This was despite the university being steadfast in abating sexual harassment within it. From the study, it was clear that most of the sexual harassments that were directed on students were much directed on the female students compared to their male counterparts. Most of the forms of sexual harassment that were experienced by the students within the University were; verbal, physical as well as through sexual rumors. The study established that though it appeared in mild form, rape was also a form of sexual harassment that was experienced by the students. (Broussine, M and Fox, P.2003)Further inquiry revealed that those who had been involved did not speak much about it due to the stigma and even those who had information about those who had been involved had scanty information, with some only harboring rumors. Deeper investigation revealed that some of the students were not even aware that they were sexually abused though they reported that they were irritated by some forms of sexual harassment despite not considering them as sexual harassment. The study also revealed that though the university had policy on sexual harassment, there was poor access to the policy by the students. Majority of the students had not accessed the policy with most of them indicating that they had no idea about the policy. The poor access of the policy played a role in poor reporting of Sexual harassment by the students, since a clear examination of the sexual harassment policy noted that the reporting mechanism was detailed in the sexual harassment policy. Significance of the Study Most aspirations of the Learning institutions targeting to attain world class status and to offer equal opportunities to its members have mainly academic thrust, unequal opportunity and unfairness in general and sexual harassment in particular are completely ignored. Yet experience shows that it is hard for learning institutions to achieve the required international recognition and to produce the best out of the students and the staffs without addressing the issue of sexual harassment. With the institutional excellence and fair treatment and respect to the students intertwined, the ISO certification demands that alongside their commitment to provide the quality education that surpasses the expectation of the customer (Students), the institutional policies should provide and the institutions should ensure that they spare no effort to eliminate sexual harassment in the institutions. This is why the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) commitment to universal basic education is premised on the fact that sexual harassment is often a symptom of social exclusion and deep rooted inequality. This study will went a long way to reveal those unfair and unequal circumstances that are covered on sexual harassment. It also envisages to helped tighten the gaps that are a threat to the realization of its objectives as envisaged the University policy Bingham, S and Scherer, L. (2001). The Unexpected Effects of a Sexual Harassment Educational Program. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 37 (2) 125-153 Broussine, M and Fox, P.(2003). The Politics of Researching Gender in Organisations. Management Research News,.26(8), 24-37 Chamberlain L, Crowley M, Tope D and Hodson R. (2008). Sexual Harassment in Organizational Context. Work and Occupations, 35(3), 262-295 Ho, J and Kleiner, B.(2000). New Developments Concerning Sexual Harassment In Public Schools. Equal Opportunities International, 19 (6/7), 48-52 Kashani, A and Kleiner, B. (2001). Sexual Harassment In Public Schools. Equal Opportunities International, 20 (5/6/7), 96-99 Read More