ABSTRACT
The study is titled “Assessment of Sexual coercion Amongst Non-Academic Staff of Tertiary Institutions in Benin City” AIMS: It explores the knowledge, attitudes and prevalence of sexual coercion among non-academic staff at the University of Benin and Benson Idahosa University. METHODOLOGY: The research utilized a descriptive cross-sectional design and a multistage sampling method, gathering data from 544 respondents. A structured questionnaire was used to assess respondents’ socio-demographic characteristics, their knowledge of sexual coercion, attitudes towards it, and experiences with it. RESULTS: Key findings revealed that the mean age of respondents was noted to be 32.4 +- 9.7, with 92.3% of participants were aware of the term “sexual coercion” with the internet (79.5%) and social media (62.5%) being the primary sources of information. Only about 208 (38%) of respondents had good knowledge of sexual coercion with 74.1% of respondents agreeing it is illegal but ironically only 25.1% of respondents knowing the legal right act against sexual coercion. 485 (89%) of respondents had a positive attitude towards it which is non-supporting of sexual coercion. However, while overt forms of coercion such as physical coercion were widely recognized, subtler forms like manipulation or economic coercion were less understood. Despite a strong general disapproval of sexual coercion, significant barriers to reporting and seeking support persisted. Over 38% of respondents had experienced some form of sexual coercion in which about 50% described it as a traumatizing experience and the most prevalent form was someone insisting to have sex with them, yet only 13.3% reported their experiences to authorities. CONCLUSION: The study identified several factors influencing knowledge and attitudes, including education level, income and employment status. Full-time employees and those with higher educational attainment demonstrated better knowledge and more proactive attitudes toward addressing sexual coercion. The findings suggest a need for more targeted awareness campaigns and better support systems for victims. In conclusion, the study highlights the prevalence of sexual coercion among nonacademic staff and underscores the importance of addressing both societal and institutional factors that contribute to its perpetuation. The research calls for enhanced education and resource provision to reduce the incidence of sexual coercion in tertiary institutions. KEYWORDS: Sexual coercion, Adults, Knowledge, Attitude, Prevalence, Patterns, Tertiary Institutions, Non-academic Staff.
