Sexual harassment policy at a higher education institution in KwaZulu-Natal: knowledge and perceptions of undergraduate students in two departments
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Date
2023
Authors
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Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Zululand
Abstract
University of uThukela’ is a placebo name used to protect the identity of the University.
Purpose - Sexual harassment in higher education institutions remains a persistent and distressing issue for students. This dissertation aimed to develop a comprehensive understanding of the knowledge and perceptions held by students at a rural higher education institution in South Africa regarding sexual harassment and related policies. Additionally, it explored the role of these policies in educating students about sexual harassment, with the goal of preventing and deterring such behavior within the ‘University of uThukela’. Recent credible sources indicate a lack of effective interventions to address the troubling prevalence of sexual harassment within South African higher education institutions.
Design/methodology/approach - This study employed a qualitative exploratory design utilising a multimethod approach, grounded in the Interpretivist Paradigm, to investigate sexual harassment issues. Semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and a knowledge test served as the primary data collection tools. Research participants were identified through purposive, self-selection (volunteer), and snowball sampling techniques. Thematic analysis was applied to analyse the collected information.
Findings - The study revealed the pervasive nature of sexual harassment within the ‘University of uThukela’. While student participants demonstrated a general awareness of sexual harassment, they exhibited limited familiarity with the institution's policy. Additionally, the institution has a deficiency in adequately trained personnel to handle reports of sexual harassment. Feedback from support specialists interviewed indicates that incidents of sexual harassment negatively impact students' academic performance, health, and social well-being. Based on these findings, recommendations include enhancing students' understanding of sexual harassment policies and revising the institution's reporting procedures.
Practical and theoretical implications - The study confirmed the prevalence of sexual harassment in a rural higher education institution in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. While participants exhibited a basic awareness of sexual harassment, they lacked comprehensive knowledge of institutional policies. Moreover, sexual harassment significantly affects students' lives and academic pursuits. Despite the mandate for Higher education institutions to establish and enforce sexual harassment policies, the problem persists among students. Limited research has explored the importance of student involvement in the development of such policies.
Originality/value - Despite recognition of sexual harassment within the ‘University of uThukela’, efforts to implement and enforce policies and reporting protocols among students in this rural institution appear inadequate.
OKUHUNYUSHWE NGOLIMOKUFINQGIQWE
‘Inyuvesi yasoThukela’ yigama le-placebo elisetshenziselwa ukuvikela ubunikazi beNyuvesi.
Inhloso- Ukuhlukunyezwa ngokobulili ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme kubonakala kuwudaba oluqhubekayo oludabukisayo nolwesabekayo kubafundi. Inhloso yalolu cwaningo bekuwukuqondisisa kahle ulwazi nemibono abafundi abanayo mayelana nemigomo yokuhlukunyezwa ngokobulili abasesikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme yasezindaweni zasemakhaya eNingizimu Afrika, kanye neqhaza elibanjwe yinqubomgomo kulesi sikhungo ekufundiseni abafundi lobugebengu, ngenhloso yokuvimbela kanye nokunqanda ukuhlukunyezwa ngokobulili ngaphakathi 'eNyuvesi yasoThukela'. Ngokwemithombo yakamuva ethembekile, khona ukungenelela okuncane okusebenzayo ‘ukunqanda uhlobo oluyinkinga lokuhlukumezeka ngokobulili ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme lapha eNingizimu Afrika.
Umklamo/indlela- Ukubhekana nalezi zinhloso, lolu cwaningo lusebenzise i-Qualitative exploratory design ngokusekelwa i-Multimethod approach, lwaphinda lwagxila ku-hermeneutics paradigm ekuqondeni izindaba zokuhlukumeza ngokobulili, ikakhulukazi, lolucwaningo lusebenzise izingxoxo ezingahlelekile, izingxoxo zamaqembu amancane, kanye nesivivinyo sokuhlolwa kolwazi. Kusetshenziswe amasampula okuhloswe ngawo nowokuzikhethela, kanye namavolontiya ukuze kutholakale futhi kukhiqizwe imibuzo yocwaningo. Kusetshenziswe i-Thematic analysis ukuhlaziya idatha eqoqwe ocwaningweni.
Imiphumela- Lolu cwaningo luveze ukuthi ukuhlukunyezwa ngokobulili kudlangile ngaphakathi ‘eNyuvesi yasoThukela’. Abafundi ababambe iqhaza bakhombise ulwazi olujwayelekile lokuhlukumeza ngokobulili. Kodwa-ke, bakhombise ulwazi oluncane ngenqubomgomo yesikhungo. Okutholakele kuphinde kwaveza ukuthi isikhungo asinabo abantu abaqeqeshiwe ngokuthola amacala okunukubezwa ngokobulili. Ngokusho kwezikhungo zochwepheshe ezibe ingxenye kwi-interview, ezisiza abafundi mayelana nezigameko zabo zokuhlukunyezwa ngokobulilii, kuvele ukuthi lokhu kuhlukumezeka kwabafundi kunomthelela ekusebenzeni kwabo ezifundweni zabo, ezempilo kanye nenhlalakahle yabo. Ngokusekelwe emiphumeleni yocwaningo, kunconywa ukuthi abafundi bafundiswe ngezinqubomgomo zokuhlukunyezwa ngokobulili kanye noshintsho lwezikhungo zokubika ngokuhlukunyezwa kobulili.
Okuwusizo-kanye-nethiyori-yemiphumela--Sekuqinisekisiwe-ukuthi ukuhlukunyezwa ngokobulili esikhungweni semfundo ephakeme yasemakhaya kuyaqhubeka futhi kuyenzeka. Abafundi babonise ulwazi olujwayelekile ngokwazi olunzulo kokuhlukumezeka ngokobulili, kodwa bakhombisa ukungayazi ngokwanele inqubomgomo yokuhlukunyezwa ngokocansi. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukunukubezwa ngokobulili kubonakala kunomthelela omubi kakhulu empilweni yomfundi kanye nohambo-lokufunda.-Zimbalwa-kakhulu-izifundo-eziye-zathola-ukubaluleka kokubandakanya-kwabafundi-ekuthuthukisweni-kwezinqubomgomo zokuhlukunyezwa ngokobilili. Kugunyazwe ukuthi zonke izikhungo ezingaphansi kombuso zishaye futhi zisebenzise-imigomo-yokuhlukunyezwa-ngokobulili.-Nokho,-izigameko zokuhlukunyezwa ngokobulili zisadlangile phakathi kwabafundi.
Okwangempela/inani--Izehlakalo-zokuhlukumezeka-ngokobulili-‘eNyuvesi yasoThukela’-seziphawuliwe,-kodwa-kubonakala-kunezinyathelo-ezincane zokusebenzisa-inqubomgomo-kanye-nenqubo-yokubika-yokuhlukunyezwa ngokocansi kwabafundi bakulesi sikhungo sasemakhaya.
Description
A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts degree in Criminology in the Department of Criminal Justice at the University of Zululand, South Africa [2023].