Sexual Harassment against Female Students in Higher Institution: The Case of Ambo University

Abstract

Higher institutions are expected to provide a hospitable working environment for students, faculty, staff and community members in order to achieve their goals. Despite creating a conducive environment for the teaching-learning activities, sexual harassment is one of the challenging problems encountered in universities. The objective of this study was to assess the practices of sexual harassment against female students in higher institutions, the case of Ambo University. More specifically, the study tried to assess how female students perceive the experience of sexual harassment in their university, find who harasses student, and examine the impacts of sexual harassment on female students in the university. The study was conducted using qualitative research method. Data were collected using in-depth interview, focus group discussions, and document analyses. While five female students were involved in-depth interviews and thirteen female students took part in focus group discussions. The study revealed that sexual harassment against female students is a chronic problem in the university. Female students faced all forms of sexual harassment from male students, academic staffs, administrative staffs and outsiders. As a result of sexual harassment, female students faced health, psychological and educational problems. The university, the government, and the society need to work together to minimize the problem and create females friendly learning environment.