University students urged not to downplay, trivialise sexual harassment
By DL News
Published
1 min read
The seminar, held on March 31 under the theme “Safe Spaces: Preventing Sexual Harassment on Campus”, was organized by the Perfector of Sentiments (POS) Foundation, in collaboration with the University of Ghana Students’ Representative Counc...
Secretary of the university’s Anti-Sexual Harassment Committee, Mercy Sowatey has urged students to stop downplaying acts of sexual harassment, highlighting that behaviors such as unwelcome romantic advances, degrading comments, and inappropriate gestures can have serious consequences.
Speaking at a recent campus seminar, Sowatey revealed that over 80% of reported sexual harassment incidents at the University of Ghana stem from student-related cases
The seminar, held on March 31 under the theme “Safe Spaces: Preventing Sexual Harassment on Campus”, was organized by the Perfector of Sentiments (POS) Foundation, in collaboration with the University of Ghana Students’ Representative Council Women’s Commission.
It brought together participants from five major universities across Ghana—UG, KNUST, UCC, UEW, and UDS.
Sowatey emphasized that the University of Ghana has upheld a sexual harassment policy since 2010, designed to protect the dignity and safety of both students and staff. While consensual relationships aren’t monitored, any form of non-consensual sexual conduct is addressed with seriousness.
She stressed the importance of early reporting in cases like rape, where evidence collection is time-sensitive. With nearly 70,000 students on campus, she believes creating a harassment-free environment requires collective commitment.
Jonathan Osei Owusu, the founder and executive director of POS Foundation, echoed these concerns. He described sexual harassment in universities as a pressing issue that undermines both academic success and students’ mental health.
According to him, the purpose of the workshop was to raise awareness, assess the effectiveness of current anti-harassment frameworks, and recommend practical reforms, indicating that following the workshop, his outfit would establish a human rights and gender-based violence (GBV) network and set up dedicated desks for reporting sexual harassment within participating universities.
