FORMS, RISK FACTORS, AND MEASURES OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT REDUCTION AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN OBOLLO, UDENU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF ENUGU STATE

Abstract

This study determined the forms, risk factors of sexual harassment and measures of sexual harassment reduction among secondary school students in Obollo, Udenu LGA of Enugu State. Three research questions guided the study. A descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. The study was carried out in in Obollo Girls’ Secondary School, and Obollo Boys’ Secondary School, Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State. Population for the study consisted of all the students in the school estimated at two thousand and eighty one (Obollo Girls=954; Obollo Boys’= 1127). Sample for the study was 276, made up of one 138 males and 138 females. Purposive random sampling was used to select 46 respondents (23 males & 23 females) from the six levels (JSS 1-3 & SS 1-3). A questionnaire, well structured by the researchers was developed and used for the study. The questionnaire comprises of three sections (A & B). Section A comprised of personal information on the gender, section B was nine item statements on forms of sexual harassment and efforts towards its prevention. The questionnaire was face validated by three experts in the department of Health and Physical Education. The data generated from the instrument were analyzed and presented using descriptive statistics of frequency and percentages. Furthermore, percentages using Okafor (1997) criteria for describing level of knowledge was adopted to determine the level of various forms of sexual harassment. In this regard, a proportion of 20 per cent or less was considered ‘very low’; 21-39 per cent ‘low’; 40-59 per cent ‘moderate’; 60-79 per cent ‘high’; and 80 per cent and above ‘very high’ level of sexual harassment. The study found out that secondary school students (58%) have moderate mean level of various forms of sexual harassment and low (35.2 %) mean risk factors associated with sexual harassment.