ABSTRACT
This study evaluates sexual harassment and academic performance among female students in tertiary institutions. The purpose of this study is to provide information that may help to improve results in future surveys in the country. The study employed a cross-sectional survey which used random sampling technique to select 400 students in five department in University of Benin, Nigeria. The data for the study was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 22) version, while frequency, simple percentage test and regression test was used for the study test.
The findings from the study revealed that majority of the female students in tertiary institutions in Nigeria, specifically the University of Benin have experienced sexual harassment and they equally indicate that lecturers are the leading culprits of sexual harassment, and this has made the tertiary institutions environment not conducive for learning for the female students, has it has created a gap and slowing the academic attainment of the female students. In addition, majority of the respondents illustrates that compelling female students for sexual harassment activities is the major nature of sexual harassment, while some stated that threatening to fail examinations if they refuse sex demands is another nature, making sexual gestures and expression sexual jokes/comments is another nature of sexual harassment as well; sexual harassment psychologically affect female students in Nigerian tertiary institution, and there is a link between sexual harassment and the academic performance of female students in Nigerian tertiary institution.
It was then recommended that there should be orientation course to sensitize students on their right and obligation within which issues of sexual harassment arise; management of tertiary institutions should provide frameworks that would allow for staff and students to dialogue on the issue of sexual harassment; the female students should be provided with adequate information about policies and support services available to reduce sexual harassment, and strict adherence to the ethics in the work place, keeping to decent and acceptable dress code will help in reducing sexual harassment of female students in tertiary institutions.
