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Sexual harassment in universities
By Jerry Guo
Anne (not her real name) is a Year 3 sociology student at a local university. Several months ago, repeated phone calls from a male student annoyed her.
Said she: “He kept calling me, asking sex-related questions.
“It offended me a lot. I warned him many times, but he persisted.”
In fact, the conduct of the male student constituted sexual harassment.
In Hong Kong, the Sex Discrimination Ordinance of the Equal Opportunities Commission defines sexual harassment as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that makes a person feel offended, humiliated or intimidated, or creates a sexually hostile or intimidating environment for the person, and where that reaction is reasonable.
Following the ordinance, local universities established policies to prevent and deal with harassment on campuses.
Prof. Catherine S.K. Tang of the Department of Psychology at The Chinese University of Hong Kong conducted a survey on campus sexual harassment from 2000 to 2001.
Respondents were 2,495 full-time students across faculties and years of study from all local universities.
Results showed that 28.3 percent of the respondents reported student-to-student sexual harassment.
“The finding surprised me,” said Dr. Mayur Danny I. Gohel, chairperson of the Sub-Committee for Cultivating Awareness of the University’s Policy on Sexual Harassment at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Said Dr. Gohel: “I suppose some harassers are intentional. They might mistake the actually unwelcome conduct as play.
“However, the intention of the harasser is irrelevant. It is the effect of the action that determines whether it constitutes sexual harassment.”
He said the main problem is a lack of understanding of this issue.
“Sexual harassment takes various forms. Some are more obvious and easier to recognize, such as unwelcome requests for sexual favors.
“However, ‘hostile environment’— another form of harassment — is sometimes subtle and most prevalent.
“For example, leering, sexual jokes or comments, and displays of pornographic materials can create a hostile or offensive environment to others.
“So, students need to know more about what constitutes sexual harassment and the limits of their behaviors,” said Dr. Gohel.
Poon Sui Hing, a Year 4 student in the Department of Civil and Structural Engineering at Polytechnic University, said it is hard to identify sexual harassment.
He said,
“Different people have different standards.
“An act acceptable to one person may be unwelcome to another.”
Responding
to this, Prof. Joyce Ma, chairperson of the Committee on Sexual Harassment
Policy at the Chinese
University, said, “Besides the victim’s perception, an objective
standard of ‘reasonableness’ is also considered when identifying
sexual harassment.
“It is how a reasonable person, having regard to all the circumstances, would perceive the alleged harassment in a similar situation.”
Regarding the findings of the survey, Prof. Chan King Ming of the Department of Biochemistry at the Chinese University related the high incidence of student-to-student sexual harassment to the social atmosphere.
Said Prof. Chan: “Pornographic materials, which are highly accessible, have spread unchecked in society.
“As a result, young people may develop wrong views towards sex and become accustomed and indifferent to unacceptable behaviors.
“This will increase the risk of sexual harassment.”
Prof. Chan
also criticized the government on this matter.
Said he: “What the government has done is inadequate. It should
take stronger measures against the pornography industry and enhance
the regulation of media.”
To increase awareness of sexual harassment and related policies, universities use promotional materials, educational tools and activities.
There are pamphlets, posters, workshops, talks, lectures and seminars.
However, Prof. Tang’s survey showed that only 3.8 percent of respondents participated in such workshops or seminars.
Alvin Cheng, external vice-president of the Student Union at the City University of Hong Kong, attributed this to students’ tight schedules.
He said, “Workshops or seminars usually last long.
“This may prevent those who actually have interest from participating.
“If these activities took up less time and varied in form, results might be better.”
Cato Leung is a student representative of the Committee on Sexual Harassment Policy at the Chinese University. He holds different opinions.
Said he: “Due to conventional attitudes toward sex, students may feel embarrassed to attend such activities, or they may be afraid of being labeled as ignorant on this matter.
“However, most students just regard sexual harassment as irrelevant to themselves.
“In fact, everyone is liable to it. It is short-sighted to care only about what affects one obviously and immediately.”
Inadequate publicity may be another reason for low participation.
Mr. Leung suggested the contents of such programs be improved.
He said, “Organizers should seek students’ opinions on the content and adjust it to their needs and preferences.”
Besides student-to-student sexual harassment, Prof. Tang’s survey also researched the prevalence of faculty-to-student harassment.
Among the respondents, 11 percent reported being sexually harassed by their teachers.
According to the survey, the majority of the respondents who had been sexually harassed ignored the harassers.
Only 2 to 5 percent complained to their universities.
However, remaining quiet just encourages the harasser and worsens the problem.
“The victim should speak out at once. If the harasser persists, you should seek help from the university,” Prof. Chan said.
After putting up with the harassment for two weeks, Anne turned to a professor for help. The problem was then solved.
Said she: “Next time if I encounter sexual harassment again, I will boldly face it and seek help early.”