TY  -  JOUR
AU  -  Ugwu, Stella
AU  -  Nnamchi, Onyedikachi
AU  -  Okafor, Samuel
AU  -  Ogechi, Ikem
T1  -  Gender differences in the acceptance of sexual harassment myths in Southeast Nigeria: historical trends and current issues in social policy and sexual/gender-based violence
PY  -  2025
Y1  -  2025-01-01
DO  -  10.1723/4456.44509
JO  -  Journal of Sex- and Gender-Specific Medicine
JA  -  J Sex Gender Specif Med
VL  -  11
IS  -  1
SP  -  20
EP  -  29
PB  -  Il Pensiero Scientifico Editore
SN  -  2974-8623
Y2  -  2026/05/14
UR  -  http://dx.doi.org/10.1723/4456.44509
N2  -  Summary. The present study, motivated by the historical evidences of sexual harassment and gender-based violence in Southeast Nigeria, was carried out among the institutions of higher learning in Southeast Nigeria to examine the recurring incidence of sexual harassment and gender-based violence in the past and in the present. 1,638 undergraduate students were involved in the study from 39 federal, state and private institutions of higher learning in the region. Survey and content-analysis designs were applied in the study. While a questionnaire was used as primary data gathering instrument, historical and earlier documented studies were used as secondary data for the study. The primary data collected were analyzed using descriptive/inferential statistics, while content-analysis was used to analyse the secondary data. The findings of the study revealed a high acceptance of sexual harassment myths among participants (66.7%). Acceptance of these myths was predicted by factors such as gender, age, and source of sex education (R = 0.682; p = .000). A significant difference was observed in attitudes towards general sexist statements between males (M = 2.3333, SD = .81700) and females (M = 1.4444, SD = .83199) [t(1636) = 21.816, p = .000]. Similarly, significant differences were found for repeated and unwanted sexual invitations, with males (M = 2.2222, SD = .78615) reporting higher scores compared to females (M = 1.333, SD = .47169) [t(1636) = 27.75, p = 000]. Importantly, the underlying factors contributing to the acceptance of sexual harassment myths included a cycle of social training dominated by patriarchal norms in the region.
ER  -