Leaders of the student body of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi have attended a Trainer of Trainers’ Workshop on Anti-Sexual Harassment. The participants were drawn from selected faculty and students of all the seven Colleges of the University as well as from the KNUST Obuasi Campus.
The workshop forms part of activities under the Anti-Sexual Harassment Action Project (A-SHAP).
In her welcome address, a member of the A-SHAP Advisory Board and the KNUST Policy Champion, Professor Ibok N. Oduro, said issues on gender-based violence have gained much attention globally and the discussions seem to continue. The government of Ghana as well as institutions and agencies have also made efforts in addressing it. The Ghana Education Service and other state institutions have introduced a code of conduct as well as anti-sexual harassment policies.
KNUST started discussions on sexual harassment and produced a policy document to address same, in 2018. The KNUST Sexual Harassment Policy document among other policies provided by the University is to help stakeholders gain confidence and trust in the system. Professor Ibok Oduro said a lot of victims of sexual harassment keep quiet because they do not trust the system to deal with the perpetrators and protect them. The training is therefore important for students to be aware and educated and to pass on their knowledge to their colleagues.
Giving an Overview of A-SHAP, The Project Lead, Dr. (Mrs.) Mercy Badu, stated that it is a Martha Farrell Foundation project hosted at the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU). It is jointly implemented by Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (WiSTEMGh), the Directorate of Student Affairs (DoSA), the KNUST Counselling Centre (KCC), the KNUST Chapter of Graduate Students Association of Ghana (GRASAG) and the KNUST Students’ Representative Council (SRC).
Dr. (Mrs.) Badu explained that the Project seeks to educate students on sexual harassment and other related issues. She revealed that a study in 2015 reported that about 92% of female university students experience sexual harassment on campus. The United Nations Population Fund (2018) also reported that 48% of female students in Ghana experience sexual harassment. She continued that 38% of female students experience unwanted sexual touching and 15% be pressured into sexual touching. According to Dr. (Mrs.) Badu, the KNUST in 2018, began creating awareness of the issue of sexual harassment on campus. It also produced the Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy.
She said the studies conducted, indicate that there exists sexual harassment which calls for a collective effort and a holistic approach to combat it.
The Project Lead added that the Project is targeted at all KNUST students at all levels and requires continuous education and awareness creation through workshops and seminars. The Project also seeks to create avenues for better reporting mechanisms and support systems for victims. Under the Project, counselling services and legal aid will be readily available on campus.
The Project Lead continued that, digital flyers, posters, banners, and pull-ups displaying the causes and effects of sexual harassment will be posted at vantage points to serve as a constant reminder as part of publicity measures. Also, training manuals will be compiled for participants to be used as reference material. According to Dr. (Mrs.) Badu, the Project has an implementation committee and an advisory board.
Representing the DoSA, Professor Marian Nkansah, urged participants to take the training seriously and to impart what they will learn on others. She pledged her Office’s support for the success of the Project.
The Acting Head of Institutional Planning, Dr. Nadia Tagoe, said KNUST came out with the policy framework in 2018 and is committed to its implementation. She said Management is committed to providing a safe and secure environment for learning and development of all students and staff. It is, therefore, important that all stakeholders help the systems to implement the over forty policies of the University.
The Head of the Department of Behavioural Sciences, Professor Sr. Frances Emily Owusu-Ansah, in her presentation on “Positive Psychology for Building Emotional Resilience of Clients With Sexual Abuse Experience,” encouraged participants to listen deeply to victims of sexual abuse when they open up to them. She said most victims seek help or therapy when their defences no longer work.
Professor Sr. Owusu-Ansah said therapists should have a range of eclectic therapeutic approaches that help build trust and a special bond between the therapist and the client. This is because the pain of sexual abuse is deep. Sometimes the abuse of their emotional integrity, the distortions, the lies, and the manipulations, add a deeper level of damage and pain. She took participants through some of the available evidence-based approaches, education, and evaluation to be able to support such victims.
The Head of KNUST Legal Services, Isaac Berko, in his presentation on the KNUST Sexual Harassment Policy, stated that maintaining tranquillity at the workplace and academic environment is imperative for productive work. This, among others, underpins the commitment of KNUST to prevent or cure any issue, activity or behaviour that adversely affects that peace of members of the University Community. He took participants through what is Sexual Assault, Sexual Harassment, Cyber Sexual Harassment, Gender-based harassment and the legal framework. The objectives and scope of the Policy and implementation of the Policy. Under the implementation of the KNUST Sexual Harassment Policy, the Head of Legal Services touched on the Anti-Sexual Harassment Committee, the KCC, Reporting Sexual Harassment, Resolution Procedure, Sanctions and Discipline, Retaliation, the Appeal Process and Confidentiality.
He called for a collaborative effort to educate others and to help ensure the Policy is implemented efficiently.
In her presentation on the Prevention of Sexual Harassment/Abuse, the Head of the KCC, Mrs. Victoria De-Graft Adjei, said sexual harassment can occur anywhere and can happen to anyone. “Sexual harassment can occur in the workplace or learning environment, like a school or university. It can happen in many different scenarios, including after-hours conversations, exchanges in the halls, walkways, and non-office settings of employees or peers,” she added.
According to Mrs. De-Graft Adjei, most victims choose not to report to law enforcement officers or tell anyone for the fear of victimisation they may experience, and for many other reasons such as fear of not being believed, afraid of retaliation, shame or fear of being blamed, pressure from others, distrust towards law enforcement agencies and a desire to protect the attacker for other reasons.
The Head of KCC, called for regular training and information on sexual harassment for all members of KNUST and stronger internal systems for dealing with sexual harassment complaints.
In order to ensure that students and staff are informed upon admission, she argued that tertiary education institutions should consider incorporating sexual harassment content into the organisation's core training, including orientation programmes. “When the University Community know more about the many interconnected aspects of sexual harassment and or assault, the safer the Campus will be and the saying ‘The more you know, the safer you will be’ will be a reality and not a myth.”