GBV in Zim Tertiary Institutions Baseline Survey Report

Female Students Network Trust (FSNT)
National Baseline Survey on gender based violence and sexual harassment of

female students in Zimbabwes Higher and Tertiary Education Institutions
Findings from a National Study by Female Students

Network Trust
Consultant: Travor Murai
September 2015
FSN
Citation: Murai, T., Female Students Network Trust (2015) National Baseline Survey on Sexual
harassment in Zimbabwes higher and tertiary institutions, Harare.
National Baseline Survey on Gender Based Violence and Sexual Harrasment of Female Students in
Zimbabwes Higher and Tertiary Education Institutions
Table of Contents
Table of Contents3
Acknowledgments...4
Foreword.5
List of acronyms.6
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY..8
1. INTRODUCTION/Background.........................................................................................9
Objective11
2. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE12
2.1 Introduction................................................................................................. .12
3. METHODOLOGY........................................................................................................19
3.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................................19
4. DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION.........................23
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Significance of Analytical Tools Used
4.3 Graphical presentations and their Interpretations
5. DISCUSSION..34
6. RECOMMENDATIONS ANDCONCLUSIONS36
6.1 Recommendations...35
6.2Conclusions .37
REFERENCES.............................................................................................................................38
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Selected provinces, total number of TEIs selected in respective provinces and gender
disaggregated totals of respondents for each data collection tool.
LIST OF FIGURES
Fig 1: Example of a Comprehensive Campus based Primary Prevention Strategy for sexual
violence perpetration
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Female Students Network Trust (FSNT) would like to express its gratitude to Czech Embassy and
the Students and Academics International Help fund (SAIH) for the financial support it rendered
for this research. His advice, academic guidance and support in terms of my scholarship, especially as a
financially supported international student, are invaluable. My sincere appreciation goes to Dr. Francis
Atkinson, for his support and mentorship as I cut my teeth into the program. This study would not have
been a success without the sterling work done by my committee members. First, my heartfelt thanks go to
Dr. Laurie Dias, for steering me into the exciting waters of instructional technology integration, and for
advice in shaping my research focus. My profound thanks and appreciation go to Dr. Susan Talburt,
especially for her insightful advice on my research methodology and writing style. Many thanks go
to Dr. Wanjira Kinuthia, who brought into the committee, some keen perspectives that
helped me to reflect on and develop my research. For their care and loving understanding during my long
absence from, as well as in the home, I am ever so grateful to my wife Diniwe, my daughters Natasha and
Tinashe and son Tanaka. Finally, my acknowledgements would be remiss if I do not mention my
childhood Female Students Network Trust (FSNT) would like to acknowledge the FSNT also
extends its profound gratitude to the students and institutions that participated in the research,
namely Solusi Adventist University, Lupane State University, National University of Science
and Technology (NUST) and Bulawayo Polytechnic, Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Polytechnic,
Midlands State University (MSU), Gweru Polytechnic, Mkoba Teachers College, Mutare
Teachers College, Mutare Polytechnic, Africa University, Great Zimbabwe University,
Masvingo Teachers College, Masvingo Polytechnic, Nyadire Teachers College, University of
Zimbabwe (UZ), Belvedere Technical Teachers College, Harare Polytechnic, Catholic
University in Zimbabwe, Bindura University of Science Education, Chinhoyi University of
Technology, and Gwebi Agricultural College.
The Network would also like to acknowledge the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education,
Science and Technology Development and the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and
Community Development for their continuous support of FSNTs work and their offering of
support letters, which made it easy to access the institution for the research. FSNT appreciates
the ministries support as it acknowledges that it cannot empower female students without their
support.
FSNT also extends its gratitude to the Almighty for the power and strength to carry out this
research.
FOREWORD
The sexual harassment baseline survey was conducted after Female Students Network Trust
(FSNT) realised that a lot of female students were facing sexual harassment, but there were no
concrete statistics on the prevalence and nature of the harassment.
The study was carried out so as to establish the various manifestations of Gender Based Violence
(GBV) and Sexual Harassment (SH) and to explore the prevalence of GBV and SH among
students in TEIs. The research was also aimed at assessing the levels of awareness among
students and college authorities on GBV and SH in TEIs as well as to investigate the existence of
GBV and SH related policies within TEIs and the extent of their implementation. The surveys
objective was also to establish the existence of mechanism put in place to protect victims of
sexual abuse within tertiary institutions of Zimbabwe as well as to identify gaps that exist which
will inform sexual harassment, gender policies police formulation, review and overhaul
FSNT hopes that this report will help to provide recommendations for improving accountability
of authorities in TEIs on GBV and SH.
List of acronyms
AU Africa University
AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women
CSE Comprehensive Sexuality Education
CSOs Civil Society Organizations
CUT Chinhoyi University of Technology
FGD Focus Group Discussion
FSNT Female Students Network Trust
GAC Gwebi Agricultural College
GBV Gender Based Violence
GZU Great Zimbabwe University
JMN Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Polytechnic
HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus
HRBA Human Rights Based Approach
ICPD PoA International Conference on Population & Development- Programme of Action
IDI In-Depth Interview
LSU Lupane State University
MoCHW Ministry of Health and Child Welfare
MoWAGCD Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development
MoYDGEC Ministry Of Youth Development Gender and Employment Creation
MSU Midlands State University
NUST National University of Science and Technology
OHCHR Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
UZ University of Zimbabwe
SHMM Sexual Harassment Monitoring Mechanism
SST Students Solidarity Trust
SU Solusi University
UDHR Universal Declaration of Human Rights
UN United Nations
UNFPA United Nations Population Fund, UNICEF United Nations Childrens Fund
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Gender Based Violence:
Gender Roles: A social system of role classification, as opposed to a biological one. Gender
roles are contrasted with sex roles, which cannot be interchanged between sexes.
Gender: The social meaning given to being either female or male in a given society. It may also
be defined as the economic, social, political and cultural attributes and opportunities associated
with being male or female. These meanings and definitions vary from one society to another, are
time bound and changeable.
Sex: Defines the biological attribute (male, female).
Sexual Harassment: unwelcome and uninvited sexually determined behavior, physical contact
and advances; sexually-colored remarks such as cat calls, telling sexual jokes and stories; sexual
assault; peeping; rape; showing of pornography; looking a person up and down; blocking a
persons path, throwing kisses; unwelcome hugging; touching the persons clothing, hair or body
and other sexual demands; whether by words or by actions that constitutes a health and safety
problem, which when objected could disadvantage the victim in her connection with her studies,
including recruitment or promotion, or creates a hostile study environment
ABSTRACT
This report is an outcome of a national baseline study on Gender Based Violence (GBV) and
Sexual Harassment (SH) in three types of Tertiary Education Institutions (TEIs) in
Zimbabwe namely universities, polytechnics and teachers colleges. The study was carried
out by the Female Students Network Trust (FSNT) between June and September 2015.
FSNT, a civil society organization working towards alleviating the plight of female students
in TEIs, has been greatly disturbed that notwithstanding Zimbabwe government efforts and
the scholarship input towards eradicating GBV and SH, both remain rampant and in
particular sexual harassment of the female students by campus men, that is, male lecturers,
fellow male students as well as non-academic male employees in TEIs.
The study sought to establish various manifestations of GBV and SH among
students in TEIs; explore the prevalence of GBV and SH among students in TEIs; assess
the levels of awareness among students and college authorities on GBV and SH in TEIs;
investigate the existence of GBV and SH related policies within TEI and the extent of
their implementation; use the findings of the study to formulate the SHMM tool for use
in monitoring GBV and SH policies in TEIs; and to provide recommendations for
improving accountability of authorities in TEIs on GBV.
The study used the survey research design and used questionnaires, Focus Group
Discussions and in Depth Interviews on randomly selected tertiary students. A sample 0f
3425 participants was used. 2479 were females and 946 were males. Data collected were
analysed, discussed and conclusions and recommendations made. The study revealed that
female students encounter offer of favours (mostly good grades/marks, extra academic
help and study aids) by lecturers. The females also encounter offer of favours (mostly
food, accommodation, transport and money) by non-academic staff and students all in
exchange for sex or sexual relationships. The study concludes by recommending speedy
formulation or revision of existing policies of adequately deal with sexual harassment.
Institutions should also impose stiff, prohibitive penalties to SH perpetrators particularly
in universities.
1. BACKGROUND
There has been wide scholarship input towards eradicating GBV and SH in the society. In
addition there have been several studies on GBV and SH in TEIs in Zimbabwe (Zindi 1994;
Zindi & Shumba 2001; Shumba and Makina 2002; Gaidzanwa 2001; Gaidzanwa 1997;
Gaidzanwa and Manyeruke 2011; Changonda 2001; Katsande 2008; Murai, Nyathi and Ncube
2015) and in other countries in Southern Africa (Bennett 2005; Bless, Braine and Fox 1995;
Finchilescu 1997; Gouws and Kritzinger 1995; Kathree, 1992; Letsie and Tlou1997; Simelane
1999) which all show that GBV and SH is rampant in TEIs and therefore deserve continued
research.
Against this backdrop FSNT embarked on a national baseline study whose purpose was to
investigate the landscape and nature of GBV, SH and its impact on female students participation
in institutional and national processes. The study findings underpin FSNTs programmes on
GBV and SH in TEIs. The findings have also been used to formulate the Sexual Harassment
Monitoring Mechanism (SHMM) tool which is designed to monitor individual TEIs based GBV
and SH policies. FSNT, through its various programmes since 2011, realized that some TEIs do
not have GBV and SH policies. Absence of such policies means there are limited gender
sensitive formal frameworks for use in interventions aimed at creating violence and harassment-
free learning environment for male and in particular female students. Against this backdrop, it
has been difficult for authorities in TEIs to account for campus based GBV and SH.
The findings of this study together with findings from previous studies are relevant in informing
interventions by the government, relevant ministries, TEIs and student based organizations and
networks.
Efforts by the Zimbabwes government efforts towards eradicating GBV and SH have been
varied and show meaningful commitment. The government has shown this great commitment to
eradicate all forms of GBV and SH at national policy level and through legal measures. To
demonstrate its commitment to eradicate GBV and SH Government created a separate ministry
responsible for gender and women affairs.
In this regard, the MoWAGCD has compiled two successive national gender policy documents
with the 2013 to 2017 version having a clear priority area on gender, education and training. The
same ministry has also put in place the Zimbabwe national gender based violence strategy among
other key measures.
Zimbabwe is a signatory to a number of international conventions on gender which among other

things are designed to eradicate GBV and SH. They include the Convention on the Elimination
of all Forms of Discrimination against Women- CEDAW (1991), the Beijing Declaration on the
platform for action (1995) and the Protocol to the African Charter on human and peoples' rights
on the rights of women in Africa 2007. In 1997 the country ratified the Southern African
Development Communitys (SADC) Gender and Development Protocol and subsequently
ratified the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development which was adopted by SADC in 2008.
Zimbabwe has made significant strides in amending and enacting legislation and has
promulgated 17 pieces of legislation to advance the gender equality and equity objective. These
include Matrimonial Causes Act (1987); Maintenance Act (1999); Administration of Estate Act
(1997); Maintenance Act (1999); Sexual Offences Act (2001), Education Act (2004), Labour
Act, [Chapter 28:01]; Criminal Law Act (2006). The country also enacted the Domestic Violence
Act of 2007 and subsequently established the Anti-Domestic Violence Council. There has also
been establishment of victim friendly units in police stations for reporting of abuse that include
GBV and SH. In 2013 the country adopted a new Constitution with explicit provisions on gender
equality. In particular, the Bill of Rights of the new Constitution recognises that men and women
have a right to equal treatment, including right to equal opportunities in political, economic,
cultural and social spheres. In addition, the new constitution makes void all laws, customs,
cultural practices and traditions that infringe on the rights of women and girls.
Other milestones in showing commitment towards eradicating GBV and SH include the
establishment of the Gender department within the relevant ministry. The 2004 Public Sector
Gender Policy established Gender focal points in all line ministries and parastatals, and also
there has been the development and implementation of the gender budgeting that saw the
creation of the Womens Fund. Further, milestones include the initiation of the Gender
responsive economic policy management initiative; and the 2011 Broad Based Womens
Economic Empowerment Framework (BBWEEF). The BBWEEF is a mechanism for womens
economic empowerment applicable across all sectors and levels of society. A number of sector
specific achievements were also recorded, for example, in the education sector gender parity at
primary and secondary school levels in terms of enrolment and completion rates has been
achieved.
Notwithstanding these mostly top down policy and legislative achievements on gender equality
at national level, a lot needs to be done at community levels through bottom up approaches
including in TEIs so as to eradicate GBV and SH. Remarkably, there is in place a solid policy
and legislative framework at national level for the institutionalization and implementation of
policies at TEIs that are aimed at eradicating GBV and SH. It has also been noted that the quest
for gender equity has evolved from advocacy, negotiation and consensus building, awareness
rising on the importance of gender equity, to a point where gender considerations are an
obligation in development programming and implementation. Despite the supportive policy and
legislative framework at national level and specific anti-sexual harassment policies, GBV and
SH continues to occur in some of the TEIs.
Specific Objectives
To establish various manifestations of GBV and SH among students in TEIs;

To explore the prevalence of GBV and SH among students in TEIs;
To assess the levels of awareness among students and college authorities on GBV and SH
in TEIs;
To investigate the existence of GBV and SH related policies within TEI and the extent of
their implementation;
To use the findings of the study to formulate the SHMM tool for use in monitoring GBV
and SH policies in TEIs;
To provide recommendations for improving accountability of authorities in TEIs on GBV
Delimitation of the study
This national study covered all provinces and focussed on TEIs selected as follows:
Matabeleland north Province; Solusi Adventist University and Lupane State University;
Bulawayo Province; National University of Science and Technology (NUST) and

Bulawayo Polytechnic;
Matabeleland South Province: Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Polytechnic;
Midlands Province: Midlands State University (MSU), Gweru Polytechnic and Mkoba
Teachers College;
Manicaland Province: Mutare Teachers College, Mutare Polytechnic and Africa University;
Masvingo Province: Great Zimbabwe University, Masvingo Teachers College, Masvingo

Polytechnic;
Mashonaland East Province: -Nyadire Teachers College;
Harare province: University of Zimbabwe, Belvedere Technical Teachers College, Harare

Polytechnic and Catholic University;
Mashonaland West Province: Chinhoyi University of Technology and Gwebi Agricultural

College.
Limitations
The research itself could not get adequate funds to cover all institutions hence plans to
continue sourcing for more funds to cover a magnitude of institutions is work in
progress. The other challenge was that the research was supported by two different
funding partners and at times it was difficult to meet each partners requirements and
expectations as drawn in the grant agreement. Despite that fact it worked to a greater
advantage for FSN because it managed to cover as much ground as possible on the
research as it finally merged the whole process. Access to TEI was not a big problem
because of the support letters which FSN was given by its line ministries mentioned
above, though some institutions were bureaucratic in terms of availing students for
interviews. Generally, institutions were very supportive and quick to respond. Most
objections were realised on male students who would feel inferior in participating in the
research citing that the organisation is basically for female students, hence male
students felt betrayed. Focus groups went on well and participants were contributing
effectively despite having some participants especially female students who would broke
down during the session citing that the subject matters most to their day to day living
be it at home at the institution, hence some of them were also victims of abuse.
Methodology
Quantitative data were collected through Questionnaires with male and female students as well
as qualitative data through Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) again with male and female
students and In-Depth Interviews (IDIs) with authorities in purposively selected TEIs in all the
ten provinces of Zimbabwe. The Questionnaires and FGDs were administered by researchers on
randomly selected students. IDIs were conducted with purposively selected members of
administration in the above named TEIs. Both FGDs and IDIs were audio recorded to aid
analysis.
2.REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This section discusses major findings from a body of literature on GBV and SH in TEIs. These
major findings are broken down into six themes, namely;
GBV and SH manifestations and impact on survivors;
GBV and SH as an outcome of conforming to the ideals of masculinities;
GBV and SH as an outcome of transactional sex relationships;
Enticement;
GBV and SH as an outcome of mens intuitive pursuit of women;
GBV and SH as an outcome of ignorance and confusion on its constitution;
Policy issues and underreporting of GBV and SH.
While some of the literature tends to focus on one or two themes mentioned above, the
majority tackle all these themes in one research report or academic paper.
2.1. SH manifestations and impact on Survivors

Varied manifestations of SH and its impact on survivors has led to multiple approaches and
emphasis in its definition. Various work place and campus-based studies point out that
manifestations of SH have included degrading verbal remarks, unwanted touching, and other
types of gender-based violence and these have had an adverse impact on survivors self-esteem
as well as their academic, social, and psychological wellbeing (Mashingaidze 2006).
From these manifestations and impact on survivors and according to (United Nations General
Recommendation 19 to the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination
Against Women; Hames, Beja and Kgosimmele 2005), Sexual Harassment can thus be defined
as:
unwelcome and uninvited sexually determined behavior,

physical contact and advances;
intimidation, bullying, coercion and blackmail of sexual nature;
sexually-colored remarks such as cat calls, telling sexual jokes and stories;
sexual assault;
peeping;
rape;
showing of pornography;
looking a person up and down;
blocking a persons path;
throwing kisses; unwelcome hugging; touching the persons clothing, hair or body and
other sexual demands including inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual
favours; whether by words or by actions that constitutes a health and safety problem;
which when objected could disadvantage the victim in her connection with her studies,
work or wellbeing, including recruitment or promotion, or creates a hostile, offensive or
intimidatory study, work or living environment.
Tlou (2014) shows adverse impacts on survivors to include erosion of their trust in authority and
professionals in TEIs. The same study indicates that student survivors of SH feel dehumanized
and often become objects of mens sexual gratification.
According to Zindi (1994) SH is often an act perpetrated by men against women and in the
Zimbabwean context it is partly because of culture which suggests men makes the first move
when they desire to form a relationship with females. Research has shown that almost all known
cases of SH are perpetrated by men. However, when the issue is widened to include unethical
intimacy there appears to be no reason why women should be excluded as perpetrators of SH
(Zindi op cit). One the reason why men continue to sexually harass women could be, according
to Hames et al. (2005) sentences meted out for SH are very light in comparison to those meted
out for plagiarism and examination fraud.
2.2 GBV and SH as an outcome of conforming to the ideals of masculinities
For Barnes (2005), TEIs are a prime site of struggle of gender meanings and men have to live up
to stereotypical codes such as man-as-thinker, man-as-aggressive debater, man-as-athlete, boys-
becoming men among other such stereotypes and conversely women have to live up to
stereotypes of women as wives. According to Barnes(op cit), the feminization of men and boys
and masculinization of women and girls by social and political forces such as colonialism,
family, church, wage labour and education and the consistent patriarchal pressure on men to
wrestle their masculinities against these forces and preserve the femininity of women, predispose
men towards re-masculinization and re-feminization of women by asserting the dominance of
masculinities over femininities and more often than not through alluding to the inferiority and
short comings of the sexualities of women leading to sexual harassment.
These social and political forces are involved in the feminization of men and boys and
masculinization of women and girls through redefining patriarchal gender roles and
reconfiguring the patriarchal image of a woman and a man. On one hand women and girls are no
longer simple doers of house hold chores, mothers and wives and the traditional image of a
reserved, collected, timid, well dressed and well behaved public persona has been reconfigured.
On the other hand, men find themselves increasingly taking up gender roles traditionally
considered to be for women such as household chores, child care and have been losing some of
the gender roles traditionally considered to be for women such as bread winner status as well as
being challenged on masculine stereotypes such aggressiveness, intelligence and brevity by
women.
So to stem womens acquisition of masculine identities and to asset their own hierarchical
multiple zones of dominance, the tendency has been for men to evoke sexism and in particular
on biological differences between men and women and, that is, differences in sexual anatomy
and appearance, which for women the exposure of such difference and the entire womens
sexualities are considered not to be for public but private enjoyment by men and women who
defy this patriarchal control are regarded as outliers and their actions are sanctioned through
stereotypical labels, uninvited and unwanted attention and other forms of sexual harassment
(Bennett op cit). Men do not always actively choose to be perpetrators of sexual harassment as
individuals, but they are at times ponies in patriarchys endeavor to keep women under check
and to maintain hierarchical multiple zones of dominance of masculinities over femininities such
that men who refuse to accept to be ponies are themselves vilified through re-masculinization or
feminization.
The drawback of the foregoing as was revealed in Zindi (1994) study is that men upon
encountering challenges in the patriarchal endeavour of re-feminization of women resort to
victimization of women on the educational front. According to (Zindi op cit), 45% of female
students in TEIs felt that they were being given low marks (grades) by certain male lecturers
after they had turned down their sexual advances or after their relationships had gone on the
rocks (see also Zindi 2002). Given that all the 2756 respondents in the Zindi study said they
knew of lecturers who use their influence to exploit female students sexually, the number of
students who get victimized on the education front should be high by dint of high pro rata
numbers of lecturers who are turned down in their uninvited and unwanted sexual advances.
2.3 GBV and SH as an outcome of transactional sex relationships

Findings from a study by Murai et al. (2015) reveal that livelihood diversification, as in varying
the financial means whereby one lives, has become an important escape route for many female
students in learning institutions in Zimbabwe faced with varied socio-economic challenges, but
not without far reaching repercussions that also entail GBV and SH including date rape, non-
consensual unprotected sex, mixing alcohol and drugs with sex and forced abortions of
unintended pregnancies. This is against a backdrop where parents/guardians sources of income
are shrinking and where government support of students welfare has been dwindling over the
years and thus there has been a gradual process of relying less on parents/guardians or
government for livelihood support, where for female students transactional sex becomes an
alternative. Tlou (2014) maintains that, notwithstanding that there is often mutual consent;
transactional sex relationships are a malpractice and are inappropriate on the part of perpetrators,
especially on the part of lecturers and that the female student is invariably always a victim of
GBV and SH in such power based relationships and it is thus the responsibility of the
perpetrators to avoid acting without decorum.
For Murai et al. (2015) male students and a few daring female students on the other hand engage
in a diverse portfolio of activities which are not only considered shameful for female students but
also increase their vulnerabilities to GBV and SH. These activities include vending, crime, casual
labour, domestic work, unskilled wage, handicrafts, students and national political activism and
living within means available to them. Unlike female students, male students are under less
pressure to keep up with societal standards of living which decreases their vulnerabilities to GBV
and SH relating to fashion, hairdo, cosmetics and nutrition; meaning they are also under less
pressure to engage in risky forms of livelihood diversification such as transactional sex in an
attempt to cope with and recover from socio-economic stress and shocks thus sustainably
keeping themselves safe from the risk of GBV and SH (Murai et al. 2015).
Even back in the mid 1990s when the countrys economy was relatively stable and thus the need
for transactional sex low, a study by Zindi (1994) revealed that 1.3% students reported that they
would not mind going out with their lecturers for the purpose of gaining favours. Now that the
economy has soured it can be inferred that the percentage of such students have dramatically
surged.
2.4 Enticement
Tlou (op cit), further reveals that there are times when students feel attracted to male lecturers
and in fact some student respondents agreed during interviews that some of their colleagues went
out of their way to entice or catch the lecturers. In the study by Zindi (op cit) back then in the
mid 1990s, 8.6% students felt that all students over 18 years of age are free to go out with
whoever they like including lecturers and thus it is up to the student, as a grown up and thinking
adult to decide, even in cases where the lecturer is a married man.
Bennett (2005) also alludes to this theme of enticement in research where some men, students
and staff, were suspicious of females sexuality, resenting their potential bedroom power,
blaming them for enticing men lecturers.
Men lecturers and men students were sometimes more ready to challenge sexual
harassment from a sense that they themselves were harassed by (overt and covert) offers
of sex by women than from any analyses of patriarchal privilege (Bennett 2005:14).
In addition Bennett (2005) highlights the lack of consensus in literature on modes of flirtation,
womens rights to sexual self-expression and on cross-level sexual relationships. Research
analyses also highlights that womens self-expression on inter-alia matters of sexuality and
dressing are often misinterpreted as sexual provocation and enticement of men.
2.5 GBV and SH as an outcome of mens intuitive pursuit of women

Patriarchal values and constitution of SH with regards to mens intuitive pursuit of women seem
to run parallel to each other. Constant and consistent pursuit of women in the context of
love/marriage proposals are an indication of level of seriousness on the part of men and women
who accept at the first or after a couple of such proposals are considered loose yet by definition
repeated love/marriage proposals constitute SH. This result in the confusion and anger over what
constitutes SH vis--vis the meaning of social norms concerning heterosexual masculinities
among males in TEIs observed in almost all studies right from the 1990s (Bennett 2005). The
real issue is on the use of norms of masculinities and discourse of SH to further nefarious self
interests by both men and women. On one hand love or marriage proposals are meant to be
pursued consistently and constantly in the context of culture or patriarchy only in cases where
there are indicators and clear sign posts of success, and when these are absent such proposals are
distractive and destructive and constitute SH. There is also no justification for love/marriage
proposals to be accompanied by bottom-patting, palm-scratching and shoulder rubbing.
Perpetrators of SH often use these repeated love/marriage proposals as a tool of retaliation after
being turned down. Bennett (2005) concedes that it is therefore erroneous for such behaviour
experienced as impossibly destructive by survivors to be discursively protected as natural,
normal, culturally prescribed or innocent. On the other hand women as social beings ought to
accept reasonable interest through love/marriage proposals on them by men even if it is uninvited
and should, as culture denotes that in forming such relationships men must make the first move,
not use such for personal mileage in the context of SH and of victimizing those with such
interests.
2.6 Policy Issues and underreporting of GBV and SH

Recommendations from various studies on SH in campus since the mid 1990s to contemporary
times have been on the need for formulation and monitored implementation of SH policies on
campus. Towards late 1990s, various stakeholders on SH in Southern African countries were
working towards the actual strategies for policy design (Bennett 2005). This resulted in
Zimbabwe some TEIs incorporating SH in their various ordinances and formulation of
standalone SH policies have been a gradual process and it is even worse when it comes to
implementation. Almost all TEIs in Zimbabwe have rules to protect women (students and staff)
from SH (Tlou 2014; Zindi 1994, 2002) and data on those that have standalone SH policies was
not readily available.
A study by Tlou (2014) indicates that while the majority of female student victims of SH are not
aware of such policies as they are not covered during student orientation, male perpetrators of
SH and in particular male lecturers are aware of the existence of these policies. Student
respondents in the same study also felt that university authorities priorities were not on SH and
this is understandably given that most TEIs are operating under difficult conditions of extremely
scarce resources and thus have little to spare towards monitoring implementation of SH policies.
Consequently, there has been widespread underreporting of SH observed in various studies () as
TEIs have no resources to play a proactive role in sensitizing campus women on SH and in
removing barriers for reporting of SH, with TEIs maintaining they are only taking up reported
cases (Tlou 2014). Bennett (2005) observes that single-minded SH policy-formation is a
relatively weak approach as sexism, the bedrock of SH, is a complex phenomenon that requires
more than core policy reforms. This has called for comprehensive campus-based prevention
strategy that includes components addressing risk and protective factors at multiple levels of
influence (DeGue 2014). Figure 1 shows how to build a coordinated strategy that addresses
multiple influencers, multiple sources of risk within the social and organizational environment,
and uses consistent messaging to reinforce positive behavioral norms.
Source: DeGue (2014)
Where survivors report incidents of SH they seldom want to lay a formal complaint. In a study
by Hames et al. (2005) in was observed that they are often traumatized and feel violated,
embarrassed and insecure about themselves, their family, their friends and their peers but would
be reluctant to lay formal complaint because of varied reasons such as fear of secondary
victimization by the offender or even by friends or because they do not want to jeopardise the
offenders future.
3.METHODOLOGY
The study adopted an interpretivism-feminist philosophy. It was thus predicated on two

standpoints. Firstly and with respect to interpretivism; on that it is necessary for researchers to
understand differences between humans in their role as social actors and to adopt an empathetic
stance. Secondly and with respect to feminism; on that women and men are treated differently
because of their biology and reproductive roles and that embodied data on women should be
collected by women. The study was inductive, meaning it was theory building rather than theory
testing. The purpose of enquiry was descriptive and the research design used was a survey. The
survey research design allowed for generation of both quantitative and qualitative data.
3.1. Study participants

The target population comprised of female and male students and members staff in selected
TEIs. Selection of TEIs ensured that in every province there was at least one TEI selected. The
number of TEIs selected per province was partly influenced by the total number of TEIs in
respective provinces. Major universities and colleges in each province were purposively included
in the selected TEIs. The selected TEIS included in Matabeleland North (Mat North) province
SU and LSU; in Bulawayo NUST and Bulawayo Polytechnic, in Matabeleland South (Mat
South) province JMN Polytechnic (JMN Poly); in Midlands province MSU, Gweru Polytechnic
(Gweru Poly) and Mkoba Teachers College; in Manicaland province Mutare Teachers College ,
Mutare Poly and AU, in Masvingo GZU, Masvingo teacher training college, Masvingo
Polytechnic; in Mashonaland east province Nyadire teacher training college; in Harare UZ,
Belvedere Technical Teachers College, Harare Polytechnic and Catholic University; in
Mashonaland West Chinhoyi University of Technology and Gwebi Agricultural College. Table 1
summarises information about the selected provinces, total number of TEIs selected in respective
provinces and gender disaggregated totals of respondents for each data collection tool.
Table 1: Provinces and TEIs participating in the Study

Province Total TEIs Total Number of Total Number of Total Number of
Number Student Participants Student Staff Participants
of TEIs for the Questionnaire Participants for for the IDIs
the FGDs
Mat North 2 SU Male 35 Male 16 Male 2
Female 60 Female 24 Female 2
LSU Male 31 Male 14 Male 1
Bulawayo 2 Byo Poly Male 17 Male 8 Male 2
NUST Male 43 Male 12 Male 2
Mat South 1 JMN Poly Male 11 Male 7 Male 1
Midlands 3 Gweru Poly Male 17 Male 16 Male 2
Mkoba Male 19 Male 8 Male 2
Teachers Female 27 Female 8 Female 1
MSU Male 37 Male 16 Male 3

Manicaland 3 AU Male 29 Male 8 Male 2
Female 83 Female16 Female 1
Mutare Male 23 Male 8 Male 2
Mutare Male 31 Male 16 Male 1

Poly Female 84 Female 11 Female 1
Masvingo 3 Masvingo Male 21 Male 8 Male 1
GZU Male 21 Male 20 Male 2
Masvingo Male 26 Male 8 Male 1
Poly Female 77 Female 5 Female 1
Mash East 1 Nyadire Male 23 Male 8 Male 1
Harare 4 UZ Male 88 Male 34 Male 4
Belvedere Male 53 Male 23 Male 2
Male 61 Male 16 Male 2

Harare Poly Female 189 Female 31 Female 1
Catholic Male 32 Male 12 Male 1
University Female 161 Female 21 Female 1
Mash 1 BUSE Male 35 Male 10 Male 1

Central Female 101 Female 25 Female1
Mash West 2 GAC Male 23 Male 8 Male 1
CUT Male 31 Male 8 Male 1
Total 21 21 Male 672 Male 274 Male 36
Total: 2786 Total: 639 Total: 58
Total Female: 2580
Total Male: 981
Total: 3561
Non probability sampling design and in particular purposive sampling method was used to select
student members of staff.
2.7 Data collection
Data collection employed triangulation of three data collection tools namely the questionnaire,
FDGs and IDIs. Respondents for the questionnaire and FGDs comprised of male and female
students while respondents for IDIs comprised of members of staff in TEIs. The questionnaire
generated mostly quantitative data and the other two tools generated mostly qualitative data. The
questionnaire collected information on the prevalence, nature of GBV and SH as well as on
awareness of GBV and SH by students. The FGDs complimented the questionnaire allowing for
further probing of issues. The IDIs collected information on the existence and the extent of
implementation of GBV and SH policies. Design of data collection tools and collection of data
was done by the FSN secretariat.
Prior to deployment, the secretariat members and FSNT members in each of the selected
institution charged with data collection attended a workshop where they were familiarized with
study objectives and ethical issues including on the need for confidentiality, anonymity,
informed consent and voluntary participation. Field data collection commenced 22 June 2015
and ended on 22 August 2015. FGDs and IDIs were researcher administered, while
questionnaires were self-administered. All research assistants were students at the selected
institutions and members of FSNT. FGDs were separated according to gender and each group
had an average of 8 participants.
2.8 Data processing and analysis

Data collected through the Questionnaire were analysed using quantitative methods of data
analysis and that collected through the FGDs and IDIs were analysed using qualitative methods
of data analysis. Quantitative data collected using the Questionnaire was analysed using SPSS
Version 17. Qualitative data collected using the FGDs and the IDIs were analysed using
Thematic Content Analysis (TCA). Theme identification was done by the FSN secretariat before
the study and was subjected to further perfection during data collection and analysis. The
following themes were identified using word analyses, word repetitions, key words in context
and indigenous terms.
3. FINDINGS
4.0 Year of Study of Participants

The year of study of student participants was as follows, 17% of the participants were first years,
52% were second years, 19% were third years, and 12% were fourth and fifth years. In total 3425
students participated in the study, 2479 females and 946 males.
Participants' Ages and Marital Status
The average age range of student participants was 18 to 25 years (M = 21). 93% of the
participants were single, 5% were married, 0.002% were widowed, and 0.013% were
divorced/separated.
2.9 Prevalence of SH in TEIs
Of the 2114 female students who participated through the questionnaire, 94% reported having
encountered SH. In comparison, 20 (3%) of the 672 male students who participated through the
questionnaire, reported having encountered SH. Focus Group Discussions (FDGs) however
revealed that some campus-men behaviors towards female students which by definition qualify
as SH were not interpreted as such by female students.
1347 (67%) of the 1987 female students encountered unwanted and invited physical contact
(touching, patting and hugging) by lecturers, non-academic staff and students. 1852 (93%)
experienced inappropriate remarks about their gender and sexuality (including sarcastic criticism
of their weight, body parts such as breasts and buttocks, skin complexion, hairdo, cosmetics,
dressing) by mostly male students. 1803 (91%) of the 1987 encountered wolf whistling. Of the
672 male students who participated through the questionnaire, 603 (90%) reported having wolf
whistled at a female student. 1564 (74%) female students encountered offer of favours (mostly
good grades/marks, extra academic help and study aids) by lecturers and 1765 (83%)
encountered offer of favours (mostly food, accommodation, transport and money) by non-
academic staff and students all in exchange for sex or sexual relationships.
1569 (74%) of female students reported having experienced gender inappropriate jokes being
told in front of them. 1236 (58%) of female students have experienced inappropriate gestures
directed to them. 1875 (89%) of the participants have heard malicious rumors spread about them
or spoken about negatively behind their backs.1678 (79%) of female students reported that they
have been intentionally excluded from certain meetings and processes because they were being
held at gender insensitive environments and times.
339 (16%) reported having been forced into unprotected sex in sexual encounters with lecturers;
209 (9,8%) in sexual encounters with non-academic staff members in TEIs and 902 (43%) in
sexual encounters with male students. 439 (21%) female students reported having been forced to
use family planning methods including emergency methods (morning after and postino tablets)
other than that of their choice in relationships with older men (lecturers and non-academic staff)
and 1269 (69%) in relationships with male students. 1801 (85%) of respondents reported
knowing female students who were once forced by campus-men (lecturers, non-academic staff
and male students) to abort an unintended pregnancy.
673 (32%) of female students reported having been coerced into drinking alcohol or injecting
drugs by older men (lecturers and non-academic staff) during date outings and thereafter sexual
assault. 1009 (48%) female students reported same SH as above during date outings with male
students. FGDs revealed however that the figures could be higher as some female students
indicated that in most situations they would not be certain of what happened to them in terms of
SH while there were under the influence. 279 (13%) female students reported having
encountered date rape in relationships with older men (lecturers and non-academic staff) and 988
in relationships with male students. 109 (5%) of female students reported having been out
rightly raped by older men (lecturers and non-academic staff) and 340 (16%) reported having
been raped by male students.
2.10 Risk Factors for SH

2.10.1 Wolf whistling, unwelcome remarks on dressing
1798 (99, 7%) of the 1803 female students who reported that they encountered wolf whistling
said it was because they were wearing mini-skirts, revealing cloths or tight fitting clothes. 598
(99%) of the 603 male students who reported that they had wolf whistled or passed an
unwelcome remark/s on female students said they did so because they were wearing mini-skirts,
revealing cloths or tight fitting clothes, 365 said they had done so because the female students
looked good. From FGD discussions most male students who admitted that they had wolf
whistled on female students said that they are likely to do it again on female students wearing
mini-skirts, revealing cloths or tight fitting clothes than on those dressed decently.
2.10.2 Physical contact (unwanted touching, hugging, patting)
871 (65%) of the 1347 female students who encountered unwelcome physical contact said it was
by male students, 800 (59%) said it was by lecturers and 329 (24, 4%) said it was by non-
academic staff. In FGDs those who reported that they encountered unwelcome physically from
male students and the male students who reported that they had had unwelcome physical
contact were in agreement in that it was because female students would have unknowingly sent
a wrong message to the offender including in cases where lecturers and non-academic staff
either through flirtation, dressing, social proximity or social environment. 1211 (90%) of the
1347 female students reported that the perpetrators of various forms of SH related to physical
contact were persons known to them and 80 said they did not know the offenders. All
interviewed male lecturers and non-academic staff said that they would not engage in physical
contact with female students in public spaces or on female students they are not in a sexual
relationship with and most said it is difficult to delineate between wanted and unwanted
physical contact given that by agreeing to a relationship physical contact would be expected.
2.10.3 Alcohol/drug facilitated SH
1567 (93%) of the 1682 female students who had been victims of alcohol/drug facilitated SH
reported that the frequency at which one is taken out for dates in party or beer drinking
environments by campus-men also determines the extent of the risk of alcohol/drug
facilitated SH. In FGDs the number of sexual partners a female student had was also cited as
a risk factor for alcohol/drug facilitated SH in that the more sexual partners one has the
likelihood that one or some of them would be injecting drugs or abusing alcohol and thus
also the likelihood that one will be coerced to inject drugs or drink alcohol. In addition,
FGDs revealed that the odds of being a victim of unprotected sex are high when one is under
the influence of alcohol or drugs during sex. In addition, female students in FGDs reported
that being given a drug without ones knowledge or consent for purposes of easy SH was
largely determined by the social environment. The majority of female students and male
students were in agreement that mostly alcohol/drug facilitated SH either happens at a party
or after a party, although private encounters by couples was pointed out as another risk
factor. 1303 (77, 4%) of the 1682 female students who had been victims of alcohol/drug
facilitated SH reported that the alcohol/drug facilitated SH happened off-campus and 360
said it happened on campus.
2.11 Reporting of SH
Of the 2114 female students who participated through the questionnaire, 1987 (94%) said that
they would not report GBV and SH, 115 (5, 4%) said they would report and 11 (0, 5%) said they
would not know what to do. It was revealed during FGDs that the main reason for not reporting
had to do with lack of information on how such violations and harassments are reported. In
addition female students in FGDs said that authorities and in particular campus security were
more obsessed with preventing campus men (lecturers, non-academic staff and male students)
led unrests including student demonstrations and industrial actions than with issues of GBV and
SH.
Female students also felt that GBV and SH were left unattended to by campus administration and
government through relevant ministries not only because they are not a priority in the context of
tight operational budgets but also because they were a safer outlet for male anger over harsh
economic conditions on campus. Both male and female students during FGDs said that male
lecturers viewed sex with female students as part of their supplementary job benefits just like
medical aid in the context of low and often delayed salaries. Male lecturers in interviews denied
this though they said it was part of beer talk and that those lecturers who may have been heard
saying that were probably passing a joke.
However levels of informal reporting of GBV and SH are encouraging in TEIs. 963 (48,5%) of
the 1987 female students who reported that they had been victims of GBV and SH said that they
told someone such as a family member, friend, roommate, or church mate. 300 (15%) of the
1987 female students victims said that they reported the offender to their intimate partners. In
FGDS it was revealed that such reporting to intimate partners seldom resulted in the cases being
taken up through the college/university system and would often result in physical gang fights
between involved males. 87 (4, 3%) said that they reported incidents of GBV and SH to campus
security and the police.
In FGDs the reasons for not reporting GBV and SH were that most incidents were thought as to
be not serious enough to report and would be a burden for them to prove the crime was
committed. Also another reason for not reporting to campus authorities, police or friends that
emerged from FGDs was the victims would not want anyone to know about the incident. They
said that getting it known that they had been victims of GBV and SH through reporting would
jeopardize their current and future intimate relations, social image and would subject them to be
objects of campus gossip and further male student gang bullying during classes, at dining halls,
corridors and even off campus. They said that the easy recourse for them would be to try to avoid
the offender/s so as not to be subjected to secondary victimization.
In one FGD, it was reported that a female student reported to campus security manning a library
an incident where one male student was irritatingly rubbing his feet and legs to those of the
female student underneath a reading table. He was warned to stop but he persisted prompting the
female student to enlist help from campus security personnel. When apprehended by the security
campus, the male student retorted that he was not sexual harassing her but drawing her attention
to her smelly shoes which were supposedly distracting him and others from concentration. At
that moment he was released by the security personnel and the whole library was left in stitches
while the female student sobbed and walked out of the library. The female student was said not
to have set foot again in the same library at the time this study was conducted, a year after the
incident.
Impact of GBV and SH

To avoid potential GBV and SH sexual harassment in their living and learning environments
female students report that they have to adjust their behaviours and life styles. Female students
reported in FGDs that they are forced to be courteous to potential men bullies on campus so as to
avoid being subjects of in particular public SH. In addition they said that they avoid participation
in masculine institutions like the student representative council and public spaces such as going
to watch campus sports and in particular soccer and also forums such as campus public meetings,
campus parties and student union meetings.
Female students said that they would not take up menial jobs or self-help jobs like vending to
supplement their incomes on and off-campus because of fear of being sexually harassed.
Furthermore, female students in FGDs said that they would not ask for help from male tutors,
lecturers and peers for fear of sending the wrong message or being sexually harassed. They said
that the safer environment for seeking help from peers of the opposite sex was during group
discussions/works either put together by lecturers or by student initiatives. Others said they do
not socialize with peers of the opposite sex for fear of sending the wrong message which might
cause SH.
Conforming to ideals of masculinities
In FGDs male students reported that they are under pressure from both male and female lecturers
to outperform female students in their studies. They said that it is thumb rule that in whatever
tests, examinations or debates male students are ridiculed if they play second fiddle to female
students. Also male students reported in FGDs that the way learning is structured at TEIs makes
them feel alienated from female students with desire to impress lecturers in the context of
contempt, competition and indifference being the main forms of cooperation with female
students.
Upon failing to impress in varied campus activities including in class and in sports, male students
reported that they would be referred to as being woman and thus the tendency is always an
attempt not to attract the tag woman and if one has been unfortunate to have been labeled
woman they must then go on overdrive in revealing all the masculinities that are found within
them beyond the context of the incident that initially attracted this tag. Revealing these
masculinities beyond the context of the incident that attracted the tag woman often led to SH of
female students.
Female students in FGDs also reported that they would often avoid or fear outperforming male
students in certain tasks including student activism, campus debates and also avoid or fear
volunteering for certain campus tasks ahead of male students because they would be referred to
as tom-boys or as having balls, as in having testicles . These labels often resulted in their
entire anatomical appearance being subjected to gender insensitive ridicule. The majority of
female students in the FGDs reported that the balls or tom-boy labels made them feel as if
they are not feminine enough, while others said the label did not affect them in any way. Of
those females that reported that they are affected by the balls or tom-boy labels they reported
that they would engage in visible feminine tasks such as doing laundry and ironing for male
students, tidying up rooms of male students and other forms of showing submissiveness to males
in order to rid themselves of the labels and regain their femininity.
Transactional sex relationships
432 (64, 2%) of the 672 male students said they had given money, gifts in exchange for sex in
the last one year. Male lecturers also reported doing the same during IDIs. 893 (42,2%) out of
2114 female students reported that they had received money or gifts in exchange for sex in the
last one year. 1214 (53,3%) of the 2194 female respondents reported that they have had a sexual
partner who was 10 or more years older. Male lecturers reported in IDIs that they had had a
sexual partner who was 10 or more years younger in the last one year. These sexual relationships
were characteristically transactional notwithstanding that both the students and lecturers denied
this. In FGDs with male students and female students and in interviews with lecturers a popular
theme was that all types of relationships between campus men and female students had some
degree of being transactional where even the idea of reality of true love was being contested. It
was reported as a norm that true love is demonstrated by men through offering money, gifts and
other forms of support to women and by women through sexual favours.
2003 (95%) of the 2114 female students said four out of five relationships they knew about
between campus men and female students were characteristically transactional and 653 (97%)
out of 672 male students said the same of three out of five relationships. 1976 (93, 4%) out of
2114 female students and 539 (80, 2%) out of 672 male students reported that they would not
mind having a transactional sex relationship. In FGDs with male students and in interviews with
male lecturers, these campus men reported that in fact they preferred transactional sex
relationships where typically expectations from female students and benefits for men are spelt
out.
1687 (79,8%) out of 2114 female students and 438 (65,1%) out of 672 male students cited the
countrys economic situation as the main determinant of transactional sex; 300 (14,2%) out of
2114 female students and 192 (28,1%) out of 672 male students cited erosion of morals on both
female students and campus men; 100 (4,7%) out of 2114 female students and 59 (8,7%) out of
672 male students cited gender stereotypes such mens instinctive desire to have sex and more
women partners. In FGDs with female students it was reported that transactional sex either
through overt or covert means had in many instances been helpful in sustaining students welfare
in cases where both government and parent/guardian support has not been forthcoming and that
in some cases it has in fact saved some female students from dropping out of college.
In FGDs, female students reported that transactional sex relationships are invariably
characterized by some form of SH including coercion when the female student is not ready for
sex, too much frequency of sex, too much sex per encounter, uncomfortable types of sex, non-
use of protection, deliberate condom failures, imposition of contraceptive method, assault and
forced abortions. Campus men said female students should not expect to be treated like wives
or lovers in transactional sex relationships and that most of what they refer to as SH like too
much frequency of sex and too much sex per encounter in these relationships are in fact the rules
of the game. They also reported that where they have made considerable investment they would
resort to violence if the female student was to have another concurrent sexual relationship with
some else or she would not have sex with them.
Enticement
85 (4%) out of 2114 female students reported that 5 in 5 relationships between male lecturers and
female students they knew about were initiated through enticement by the female students, 132
(6,2%) out of 2114 female students reported 4 in 5 relationships, 366 (17,3%) out of 2114 female
students reported 3 in 5 relationships, 688 (32,5%) out of 2114 female students reported 2 in 5
relationships, 1111 (52,5%) out of 2114 female students reported 1 in 5 relationships. 500
(74,4%) out of 672 of male students said the same of 1 in 5 such relationships, of male students
said the same of 1 in 5 such relationships, 50 (2,3%) said the same of 3 in 5. All lecturers said the
same of 4 in 5 of such relationships. 1653 (78%) out of 2114 female students said they would not
mind to engage in flirtation with male lecturers as a way of enticement if they believe such
lecturers are potential husbands or male partners for them.
All lecturers said the same of 4 in 5 of such relationships. 1653 (78%) out of 2114 female
students said they would not mind to engage in flirtation with male lecturers as a way of
enticement if they believe such lecturers are potential husbands or male partners for them.
Younger and unmarried lecturers reported in IDIs that they would not hesitate to act on
enticement by female students and older married lecturers said they would discourage such
enticement first time it is revealed. Lecturers reported during interviews that enticement taking
many forms including provocative dressing, sexting1, requests for favours, offers of favours
and unsolicited visits to the office or place of residence.
The older married lecturers reported that for enticement to come into fruition it is never one way
but mutual and cumulative with one small gesture being encouraged and nurtured to grow and
multiply into other gestures. In FGDs some female students reported that students above the age
of consent should be free to entice lecturers.
Male students reported the forms of enticement as including provocative dressing, sexting,
requests for favours including assistance with academic work, visits to the places of residence.
It was revealed during FGDs with female students that some of what is interpreted as enticement
or provocation by campus men is in fact exercise of female students rights and an expression of
their sexuality. Actions based on misinterpretation of in particular the right to dressing and the
freedoms of association and speech were said to constitute SH by female students in FGDs.
Mens intuitive pursuit of women
Male students in FGDs expressed gender stereotypes such as men need sex more than women
do; men are always ready to have sex; a man needs other women even if things with his partner
are fine, it is always the man who decides type and frequency of sex. They said that these
stereotypes cause mens instinctive pursuit of women. Female students reported that they
suspected that their partner might be having sex with someone else because they believe in the
above stereotypes.
Both male students and female students expressed during FGDs that it was the role of men to
pursue women so as to strike relationships and that if female students were to do that they will be
1
Sending and receiving of phone messages that are intended to arouse sexual interest
regarded as loose, the same way a female student who would carry a condom would also be
regarded as loose. This role for men, it was reported is ascribed to them emanating from the
gender stereotypes mentioned above. Against the foregoing male students reported during FGDs
the confusion on where to draw the lines on genuine pursuit of female students and such pursuit
which then translate to SH. Men reported in FGDs that the confusion is exacerbated by the fact
that culturally women are not suppose to give in to mens advances on first such encounters
and therefore men must make repeated attempts on women before she gives in- and repeated
attempts by definition amount to SH. Female students felt that the confusion is deliberate as
pursuit of women which translate to SH become so apparent to all parties. In fact female students
reported that the confusion is a gimmick to mask persecution of women for turning down
advances by male students under the guise of mens instinctive pursuit of women.
3 DISCUSSION
The findings reveal that SH is very rampant in TEIs. The perpetrators are mostly male students,
followed by male lecturers and then non-academic male staff all of them referred to as campus
men. The victims are female students, particularly those who are young (18-25 age group) and
single. The most prevalent form of SH was inappropriate remarks about female students gender
and sexuality passed mostly by male students followed by unwanted physical contact (touching,
patting, hugging) by both male students and male lecturers and then offer of favours in exchange
of sex by mostly male lecturers. Behaviours that increased the risk for female students of SH
included wearing of mini-skirts or revealing clothes, unintentional sending of the wrong
message and alcohol or substance use.
Reporting of incidents of SH was very minimal due to varied reasons including that female
students were not privy to the reporting procedures, thought the offences were not serious
enough, felt they could not produce proof that an offence had been committed, felt that SH and
GBV were not a priority for authorities, did not feel reporting would make any difference, in fact
felt that reporting would subject them to heightened SH and that the sanctions mated out for SH
were not proportional to the offences. Furthermore victims would not want anyone to know
about the incident and also felt reporting would jeopardize their current and future intimate
relations, social image and would subject them to be objects of campus gossip. In addition
female students felt that GBV and SH were tolerated by stakeholders because they were a safer
outlet for male anger and frustration over harsh economic conditions on campus where sex with
female students became part of supplementary job benefits just like medical aid in the context of
low and often delayed salaries.
Findings point out two viable recourses for female students, namely informal reporting of GBV
and SH (to a family member, friend, roommate, church mate or their intimate partners) and
avoiding the offender/s so as not to be subjected to secondary victimization.
Findings reveal that female students fail to live their college lives fully making unreasonable
behavioral and life style adjustments fully because of fear of SH in their living and learning
environments. Female students were forced to be courteous to potential men bullies on campus;
avoided participation in masculine institutions and platforms; could not take up menial jobs or
self-help jobs like vending; could not ask for help from male tutors, lecturers and peers because
of fear of SH. The safer environment for seeking help from peers of the opposite sex was during
group discussions.
Findings also point out that male students do not always make a conscious choice to sexual
harass female students but do so to conform to masculine ideals of masculinity. The study further
reveal that female students perceptions of masculinity keep them alienated from engaging in
behaviours and activities that could be regarded as masculine such as outperforming male
students in student activism, campus debates among other things.
The findings also revealed that transactional sex is rampant in TEIs partly caused by the
countrys economic situation where it has in many instances been helpful in sustaining students
welfare in cases where both government and parent/guardian support has not been forthcoming
and that in some cases it has in fact saved some female students from dropping out of college.
The findings however pointed out that transactional sex relationships are invariably characterized
by some form of SH including coercion when the female student is not ready for sex, too much
frequency of sex, too much sex per encounter, uncomfortable types of sex, non-use of protection,
deliberate condom failures, imposition of contraceptive method, assault and forced abortions.
Findings also point out that female students at times initiate sexual relationships with male
lecturers and students through flirtation, provocative dressing, sexting, requests for favours,
offers of favours and unsolicitated visits to the office or place of residence. However the study
also revealed that some of what is interpreted as enticement or provocation by campus men is in
fact exercise of female students rights and an expression of their sexuality and actions based on
misinterpretation of in particular the right to dressing and the freedoms of association and speech
were said to constitute SH by female students in FGDs.
The study revealed that male students due to gender stereotypes have a role to pursue women
even after they are rejected. This kind of pursuit female students insisted that is deliberate and
constitutes SH.
4 RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS
6.1 Recommendations for TEIs
TEIs to speedily formulate SH policies or if necessary revise existing policies to
adequately deal with SH,
Ensure that there is a comprehensive action plan to operationalize SH policies,
Facilitate communication channels for SH policy implementation management and for
stakeholders to discuss the implementation, address challenges, barriers, bottlenecks and
recommend improvements to implementation as they emerge,
Staff members who provide student welfare services to take on new responsibilities on
SH management and be oriented on the revised responsibilities with TEIs managing the
increased workload,
TEIs need to put in place gender sensitive and easily accessible SH victim friendly
reporting and referral mechanisms;
There is need to take advantages of various opportunities for monitoring, documentation
and reporting of SH incidents through a centralised system where all reports are directed,
TEIs need to be more receptive to campus based CSO initiatives that target eradicating
SH and maximization of opportunities for collective action,
Campus security personnel need to be trained to respond and provide victim friendly
services on SH,
Impose stiff, prohibitive penalties to SH perpetrators and including considering naming
and shaming of perpetrators,
Comprehensive post victimization care including psychosocial support,

Student representative councils in individual TEIs to provide informed and
transformative leadership to make SH policy implementation a high priority at college
administration, faculty, departmental and class levels,
Recommendations for the Government
The Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education to be more forthcoming in
granting research permission to CSOs on SRHR and facilitate removal of red
tape in access to TEIs by CSOs,
To ensure that necessary financial and human resources are put in place to support
implementation of SH policies in TEIs,
Support SH policy implementers through training, supportive supervision and
other capacity development activities,
Establish medium to long term goals for eradication of SH in TEIs,
To support FSN efforts towards a national level systematic mechanism for
monitoring and evaluating the implementation of SH policies in TEIs,

Conclusions
Undertaking a comprehensive review of existing SH policies in individual TEIs and
compiling an academic paper on the same,
CSOs working with students and TEIs need to incorporate teaching of positive
masculinities to campus men,
Sensitize through workshops, public lectures, public discussions and other forums
different categories of stakeholders in TEIs on adverse effects of SH to the student
community,
Condom promotion and distribution among students in TEIs,
Student friendly sexual and reproductive health,
FSN to formulate the Sexual Harassment Monitoring Mechanism (SHMM) designed to
monitor the implementation of GBV and SH policies in individual TEIs,
FSN to ensure availability of financial resources, technical/human capacity, sustained
national level confirmation and interest by key stakeholders for viability of the SHMM,
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Female Students Network Trust (FSNT)

National Baseline Survey on gender based violence and sexual harassment of

Findings from a National Study by Female Students

Sex: Defines the biological attribute (male, female).

The study sought to establish various manifestations of GBV and SH among

Zimbabwe is a signatory to a number of international conventions on gender which among other

To establish various manifestations of GBV and SH among students in TEIs;

Delimitation of the study

Bulawayo Province; National University of Science and Technology (NUST) and

Matabeleland South Province: Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Polytechnic;

Masvingo Province: Great Zimbabwe University, Masvingo Teachers College, Masvingo

Mashonaland East Province: -Nyadire Teachers College;

Harare province: University of Zimbabwe, Belvedere Technical Teachers College, Harare

Mashonaland West Province: Chinhoyi University of Technology and Gwebi Agricultural

continue sourcing for more funds to cover a magnitude of institutions is work in

2.REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

GBV and SH manifestations and impact on survivors;

GBV and SH as an outcome of conforming to the ideals of masculinities;

GBV and SH as an outcome of transactional sex relationships;

GBV and SH as an outcome of mens intuitive pursuit of women;

GBV and SH as an outcome of ignorance and confusion on its constitution;

Policy issues and underreporting of GBV and SH.

2.1. SH manifestations and impact on Survivors

unwelcome and uninvited sexually determined behavior,

physical contact and advances;

intimidation, bullying, coercion and blackmail of sexual nature;

looking a person up and down;

blocking a persons path;

2.2 GBV and SH as an outcome of conforming to the ideals of masculinities

2.3 GBV and SH as an outcome of transactional sex relationships

2.5 GBV and SH as an outcome of mens intuitive pursuit of women

2.6 Policy Issues and underreporting of GBV and SH

Source: DeGue (2014)

The study adopted an interpretivism-feminist philosophy. It was thus predicated on two

3.1. Study participants

Table 1: Provinces and TEIs participating in the Study

MSU Male 37 Male 16 Male 3

Mutare Male 31 Male 16 Male 1

Male 61 Male 16 Male 2

Mash 1 BUSE Male 35 Male 10 Male 1

2.8 Data processing and analysis

4.0 Year of Study of Participants

Participants' Ages and Marital Status

2.9 Prevalence of SH in TEIs

2.10 Risk Factors for SH

2.10.2 Physical contact (unwanted touching, hugging, patting)

2.10.3 Alcohol/drug facilitated SH

Impact of GBV and SH

Conforming to ideals of masculinities

Transactional sex relationships

Mens intuitive pursuit of women

4 RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS

6.1 Recommendations for TEIs

TEIs to speedily formulate SH policies or if necessary revise existing policies to

adequately deal with SH,

Ensure that there is a comprehensive action plan to operationalize SH policies,

Facilitate communication channels for SH policy implementation management and for

stakeholders to discuss the implementation, address challenges, barriers, bottlenecks and

recommend improvements to implementation as they emerge,

reporting and referral mechanisms;

There is need to take advantages of various opportunities for monitoring, documentation

SH and maximization of opportunities for collective action,

Impose stiff, prohibitive penalties to SH perpetrators and including considering naming

and shaming of perpetrators,