Secondary School Pupils' Perceptions of Sexual Harassment by Peers

Abstract

This study investigated how secondary school pupils perceive and conceptualise sexual harassment by peers. The study involved pupils drawn from secondary schools in Harare's high density suburbs. A questionnaire and follow-up interviews were the instruments used to source data from the subjects. The majority of the pupils (70%) reported that sexual harassment of various types and perpetrated almost equally by both boys and girls, is common in their schools. Furthermore, most of the pupils (67.5%) viewed sexual harassment by peers as acceptable, chiefly arguing that it was part of growing up. On the basis of these research findings, the following recommendation is made. Unless peer sexual harassment proves to be getting out of hand, adults should avoid thwarting the social and sexual development of children by imposing their world view on these growing children, and thus denying them otherwise necessary and useful experiences.

Keywords: Sexual Harassment, perception, secondary school, pupils, Harare

Nigerian Journal of Guidance and Counselling Vol. 13 (1) 2008: pp. 180-
189