Women’s rights in higher education institutions in Africa, has doubled in the past 20 years, but this figure is still low compared to other regions. Despite this achievement, imbalances in gender equality still bites.
The core roles by African Universities in contributing to the 2030 Agenda through the attainment of the sustainable development goal 5: to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls is scholarly challenged and criticized.
According to the renowned media houses across Africa such as BBC Africa Eye, Nation of Kenya ,The Monitor of Uganda among others and researchers, the darkest sexual harassments on Africa’s most prestigious universities in Eastern, Southern and Western Africa has been on the rampant rise in universities in most African countries with gross violation of professional ethics, human rights, and the dignity of students, and has raised serious and grave futuristic implications for both the individuals involved and the educational system at large.
Reowned African author, scholar and seasoned journalist Olesegun Adeniyi in his latest book nude abuse, ”Sex for Grades in African Universities”, argues that the messes under the custodianship of esteemed lecturers but with low moral compass has become so pervasive and advanced from prevalent endemic to a customary pandemic weapon accelerated into gender inequality and masculine aggression repressing defenseless and impoverished lot.
The revelations indicates that section of learning institutions has been turned into commercial sexual centres, programming poor, innocent and defenseless female students into believing that sex has to be transactional and dispensed in exchange of academic favours amid catastrophic destruction and academic suicidal resulted in a spillage of incompetent or half-baked graduates and credibility gaps.
Sexual harassment as a product of negative interaction among males and females, has far- reaching implications for individuals and the continent at large. According to the renowned media houses such scenario raised serious and grave futuristic implications for both the individuals involved and the educational system at large.
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This is equally backed by a scientific findings by Smart (2021) on sexual violent crime which asserts that the motive behind is to control and gain power over the victim as well seeks to fulfill their hit and run desires amid grave negative impacts like difficulty in concentration, fear, lowered self–esteem and lowered grades.
However, explanation from the framework of transformative psychology, clears shows that sexual violence may prompt impersonation to comparative acts by men with respect to social learning theory. The theory underpins proof that family atmosphere during childhood plays a significant part in the articulation of various types of violence.
Interpersonal aggression showcased by male parental figures and maltreatment of an individual during childhood are a few of the many reasons for this behaviour of sexual violence as time progresses (Debowska et al., Citation2015).
Traits of antisocial personality such as lack of self-control may be important in identifying those who encourage sex assault myths. Low self-control was found to be a key predictor of a variety of culprits and comparable behaviours as a general predisposition to engage in crime (Qureshi et al., Citation2020).
The increased use of pornography is linked to sexual madness, which includes pornographic material leading to violent crime. Such addictions can be destructive as sex maniac not just to the person but also to society and mysterious behaviour irrespective of educational status, position even age wise (Kamaruddin et al., Citation2019).
This comes as sexual assault in Kenya is reportedly on rise in recent past. A 2016 study found that more than 50 per cent of students at the University of Eldoret had been sexually harassed in some way. Mary Ojwang, chair of the Women Student Welfare Association of the University of Nairobi, says although most sexual assault cases are reported by the students, the biggest challenge is lack of action by the security officers and administration.
Josephine Mong’are, chair of the Federation of Women Lawyers – a women’s rights organization in Kenya – says sex cases are crimes, and action must always be taken against perpetrators.
Maurice Oduor, a lecturer at Moi University, School of Law attributes sexual assaults on female students lacks proper reporting systems at Kenyan institutions adding that proper reporting channels for students at the universities will see perpetrators afraid to committing offences. He strongly asks all learning institutions to establish and strengthen their reporting systems to help curb cases of sexual assaults.
It’s equally advisable in seeing that all 68 public and private varsities embrace decent dressing code as indecent dressing has been associated with sex assaults. So far of 68 universities , public and 33 private with at lest 600,000 students, only Moi, Strathmore, University of Eldoret, Daystar, Mount Kenya , Kabarak, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST), Methodist, United States International University (USIU) and Nazarene have adopted dress code. Other players like parliament, human rights, media, and women lobby groups should rethink their potential contributions in seeing varsities are safe havens for our daughters and ladies at large.
University admirations and educational bodies also need to put up measures to address the misconduct of lecturers involved in sexual harassment and abuse of female students including counsels , placing feedback suggestion boxes, outlaw indecent dressing ,improve reporting systems and sensitize ladies to be bold and reporting .
Female students should do their best in studies and that would be a proof to their good grades. When the lecturers know that the students will report them, they will minimize and eventually shun harassing female students.
Victims of sexual harassment always avoid perpetrators and exercise cautious over private meetings or visitations. Education ministries across Africa should closely work with other players including Investigative journalists as an effective strategy. Perpetrators of sexual harassment should choose to marry or respects their marriages or left to face legal actions regardless of their status or influence. There is a need in enabling women to take up imbalanceed administrative positions like senior university lecturers in most institutions in fixing gender gaps.
By Onwonga Yabesh
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