ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Sexual harassment and coercion on university campuses is a serious global issue affecting individuals across various demographics, with alarming statistics indicating that a significant portion of women and men experience these violations. The spectrum of sexual coercion ranges from overt violence to subtle manipulations, leading to severe physical and mental health consequences for victims, including increased risks of depression, anxiety, and academic struggles. Young adults, particularly college students, are especially vulnerable due to their developmental stage and newfound independence, which can predispose them to risky behaviors. Although there has been growing recognition of violence against women as a public health and human rights issue, responses vary widely across countries, highlighting the need for comprehensive education, support systems, and policies to foster safer environments and promote a culture of respect and consent. OBJECTIVE: To assess the knowledge, attitude, prevalence and patterns of sexual coercion among undergraduates to develop and improve prevention strategies. METHODS: This study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional design. The participant consisted of undergraduates from University of Benin and Benson Idahosa University, both located in benin city, Edo state. A multistage sampling method was utilized in selection of participants and information was gathered using a pretested structured self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire was adapted and modified from different literatures and was structured to contain both open ended and closed ended questions.. Data analysis was done using IBM SPSS version 25.0. RESULTS: The mean age of respondents to this study was between 18 to 23years. 435 (80.9%) were aware of sexual coercion and 268 (61.6%) of undergraduates had a good knowledge of sexual coercion. 314(72.2%) respondents had negative attitude towards sexual coercion recognizing it as abnormal behavior. With regards to prevalence, 121 (22%) undergraduates had experienced sexual coercion and 98(81.0%) of them have had recent experiences. The common patterns of sexual coercion were sexually suggestive jokes and comments 82(68.5%), inappropriate invitations to go on dates 81(66.9%) and sexually explicit messages 71(58.4%). There was a significant association between marital status and knowledge of sexual coercion (95% CI = 0.178 – 0.684, p = 0.002). There was a significant association between age group and attitude towards sexual coercion (p = 0.048). Knowledge level was significantly associated with the prevalence of sexual coercion ( p = 0.023). CONCLUSION: The study showed that most two-thirds of the respondents had good knowledge of sexual coercion and more than two-thirds of the students had negative attitudes towards sexual coercion and were unsupportive of it. The prevalence rate of sexual coercion was one in five individuals. physical force, verbal coercion and false promises were the most commonly identified pattern. It is important to strengthen educational programs to raise awareness and prevent sexual coercion and provide accessible support services for those affected to reduce its prevalence. KEYWORD: sexual coercion, knowledge, attitudes, prevalence, patterns, undergraduates and Benin city.
