Reporting and Addressing Sexual Harassment at Four Institutions of Higher Learning in Zambia: A Quantitative Study of Related Attitudes and Perceptions
Problem Sexual harassment is a social ill that exists across nations, socio-economic backgrounds, races, nationality, ethnicity, age groups, and sex. Although both male and female members of society experience sexual harassment, research shows that a greater percentage of sexual harassment victims are women (Whitley & Page, 2015; CharterJee, 2018). A comparison of the prevalence of sexual harassment at workplaces and educational institutions shows that sexual harassment is more widespread at institutions of learning than at workplaces. Research on the prevalence of attitudes and or perceptions toward sexual harassment in institutions of higher learning shows that between 10%- 68% of female students have experienced sexual harassment from a faculty member (Paludi et al., 2006; Ali, 2013; Matina, 2002; Adinew & Hagos, 2017). Most research findings on sexual harassment are based on research carried out mostly in Western cultures. There is a dearth of research on attitudes and/or perceptions toward sexual harassment, sexual harassment reporting and the institutional likelihood of addressing sexual harassment among students, faculty/staff and administrators in various Zambian higher education institutions. Suppose the problem of sexual harassment in various Zambian institutions of higher learning is not investigated, victims will continue to suffer the emotional, physical, and psychological effects of being sexually harassed, and policymakers will not have data to facilitate the possible development of comprehensive policies that adequately address this social ill. Therefore, it is paramount that sexual harassment in various Zambian institutions of higher learning be investigated through empirical research to provide a deeper understanding of this problem among Zambian higher education students, faculty/staff and administrators. Purpose of Study The purpose of this study is to (1) find out how age, gender, occupation, and institution type relate or correlate to attitudes towards sexual harassment (2) determine attitudes of students, faculty, staff and administrators toward reporting sexual harassment (3) determine the relationship between age, gender, occupation and institution type and organizational tolerance of sexual harassment and (4) as well as investigate the relationship between sexual harassment reporting and sexual harassment attitude and organizational tolerance of sexual harassment among selected Zambian higher education institutions’ students, faculty/staff and administrators. Method The research was a non-experimental quantitative and correlational research. The relationship between age, gender, occupation, type of school and attitudes toward sexual harassment was measured using the Sexual Harassment Attitude Scale. The attitudes towards reporting sexual harassment in selected Zambian institutions of higher learning were measured using the ‘Sexual Harassment Reporting Attitude Scale’ and the relationship between age, gender, occupation, type of school and perceptions towards organizations’ likelihood to address sexual harassment in Zambian institutions of higher learning was measured using the ‘Organizational Tolerance for Sexual Harassment Inventory.” Question four which examined the extent to which reporting sexual harassment is related to attitudes towards sexual harassment and organizational tolerance of sexual harassment was analyzed using the structural equation modeling technique (SEM). Findings Overall, participants have less favorable attitudes toward sexual harassment. On gender, males are more favorable of sexual harassment behaviors than female participants. On age, the 18-25 age group is of the view that reporting sexual harassment results in retaliation; reporting is not taken seriously by their organizations; and that their organizations have tolerance of sexual harassment among peers, when compared with other age groups. On occupation, generally, students perceive their organizations to be more tolerant of sexual harassment among peers than when it involves a lecturer or supervisor. Concerning university location, participants from urban institutions showed higher favorable attitudes towards sexual harassment in comparison with rural participants. Public university respondents recorded higher favorable attitudes towards sexual harassment when compared with private university respondents. The faith-based institution also showed less tolerance of sexual harassment behaviors in comparison with non-faith-based institution participants. Regarding relationships between and among variables, there is a significant negative relationship between sexual harassment attitudes and organizational tolerance of sexual harassment. There is also a weak non-significant direct relationship between attitudes towards sexual harassment and sexual harassment reporting. However, there is a significant positive direct relationship between institutional tolerance of sexual harassment and sexual harassment reporting at the institution. Thus, tolerance of sexual harassment at institutional level affects levels of reporting. There is also an indirect negative relationship between sexual harassment attitude and sexual harassment reporting when mediated by organizational tolerance of sexual harassment.
Sexual Harassment, Higher Education Institutions, Zambia, Gender and Sexuality, Higher Education, Women's Studies
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