By: Ayeye Toluwalope

If there was one thing Grace disliked about staying off-campus, it was having to make trips into the school premises, down to Zik Hall or Tedder, to get herself dinner. Usually, she would sit in her room until about 7 pm, contemplating whether she really wanted to make the painstaking trip or if she’d go to bed hungry. At 7:30 pm, she would decide to stay hungry and drink lots of water to keep herself full. Her resolve would be strong but unyielding. At around 8 p.m, staring at her laptop, she would finally crave. Tired of feeling faint and hearing her stomach growl, she would dress up, leave her room before 8:30pm, as she holds a two hundred naira note for transportation.

Friday, 21st of June, 2024, was no different from the other days when she battled with hunger and what Grace tagged laziness. On that day, hunger won. She got dressed in her skirt, top, and cardigan. She picked up her tote bag, and headed out. Grace reached the bus-stop at about 8:15 pm and waited in line, hoping to see someone going the same route. Fifteen minutes after, people came and went, as she stood waiting almost endlessly. Finally, the set of people who would rescue her hurting legs arrived.

She felt a presence behind her, too close and making contact with her bum. Shifting herself forward, she thought nothing of it. She looked behind her and caught a tall bearded man in an accent – she couldn’t forget him. When asked where he was going, he calmly and cockily said Abdulsalami. Seeing as there were already two people (including Grace) going to Zik hall, he pestered the driver to let him get in too, even offering to pay fifty naira more than his required fare.

In the tricycle, Grace was squashed between the tall man and another male. As she struggled to bring out her transport fare from her purse, she noticed two things. First, was that the back of the tall man’s shoulder was painful and squashing her breasts. Secondly, was that his hand was on her bare lap. Although quite convenient, Grace presumed that it was simply a mistake as the three passengers were not on the slim side at all. She adjusted herself, pushing against the other man however his hand did not budge. Not able to take it anymore, she moved his hand herself; however, he put it right back. Then it occurred to her what exactly was happening.

A Nigerian study found that 34.2% of the 160 students discovered that sexual violence was the most prevalent form of gender-based violence. A 2018 World Bank survey said 70% of females who have graduated from the University had been a victim of one form of sexual harassment or the other, with a large percent of the perpetrators being their lecturers or their classmates. In Grace’s case, it had been a total stranger who placed his hand on her thigh and slowly crept it up her skirt, only stopping when she summoned the courage to push him away with enough force to grab some attention.

At the University of Ibadan, a lot of things go unsaid, and lots of injustice are left to die. One of such, unfortunately, is the perpetration of sexual abuse. It is easy to claim that in the University community there are barely any forms of sexual harassment or abuse due to the low rate of complaint. This maybe quickly delusional and does not change the untold realities that this vicious act in several of its dimensions actually exists.

Unwelcomed groping or fondling, unfriendly cat calls, sexual connotations, and unwarranted brushing against a person’s body by a complete stranger, usually accompanied by the whispered words ‘I love you’; sexual harassment vary in nature and even so within the University of Ibadan community. Victims of sexual harassment  mostly only share one thing in common – that they were sexually harassed. Their experience however would prove to be distinct and somewhat different. Perhaps one of the reasons many would assume that there are no sexual crimes going on in the University would be because of the narrow lens with which many view what sexual harassment truly is.

According to the University of Ibadan sexual harassment policy, sexual harassment is ‘unwanted sexually motivated conduct, comments, touching and expressions capable of prejudicing or undermining a person’s freedom, rights and privileges. Such acts could include comments and unnecessary bodily contact which could lead to psychological or physical unsolicited sexual relationships.’ It also states that sexual harassment could come in 3 different forms; verbal conduct, audio and visual conduct, physical conduct.

(Page 13 and 14 of University of Ibadan Sexual Harassment Policy) 

Sexual Harassment could be unfriendly remarks with sexual connotations, as well as sexually motivated booing and ogling of a person or persons. This perhaps best describes what Remi and various girls who ply the route through Zik Hall and Indy hall have had to face in the past. Remi, a 400 level Obafemi Awolowo resident explained that last session, she had gone on a walk with her boyfriend to get suya from the vendor in front of Zik Hall, opposite the famous Black Market. On their way back through Indy hall, some of the occupants of Block C resorted to throwing sexually demeaning words at them.

‘I was walking with my boyfriend, and we decided to pass through Indy Hall, instead of using  another route. We got through the gate and I started eating my suya because I was hungry. Only for us to get to the road in front of Indy Hall Block C that leads to Idia village and the next thing that happened was that the boys at the balcony of Block C began mocking us and making jest of us. They said that I was an ‘ashewo’ sleeping with him because of ordinary suya. Then they called my boyfriend foolish for buying me suya just because he wanted to sleep with me’ Remi narrated her ordeal with IndyPress.

The concept of Aro is not new to anyone in the University community, a damning culture amongst male residents in their halls, where the occupants collectively catcall female passers-by, sometimes resorting to using crude sexual language. In the second semester of the 2020/2021 session, a video was released of some Zikite catcalling two ladies, even going as far as moving behind them as they tried to get away. The question of whether Aro is wrong or not has often times rocked the school community. Perhaps when looked at from the lens of sexual harassment, the answer to that question will not seem too far off.

Mary’s Tale – Unwanted Caressing

Sexual Harassment also refers to unwelcomed caressing and fondling of the victim.

Mary, a 400 level Queen Idiate had such an experience through some classmates and friends while she was just in 100 level. She had met J and K during a birthday party held for one of her classmates, M, organized by another classmate who bears O.

While J is a UI student, K was from another institution in Lagos. The details of the party were somewhat vague, and it appeared to be an event predominantly attended by guys. Fast forward to the surprise party, which unexpectedly turned into a house party.Throughout the party, Mary noticed K (from Lagos) frequently looked at her, leading to a conversation between the two of them. This interaction led them into exchanging numbers and staying close throughout the evening. Meanwhile, J (a Uite) who Mary knew was dating another coursemate, had intrusively asked questions about her sexual life.

After the party, Mary went out with K a couple of times. It was evident he was interested in something romantic. But Mary didn’t mind. She had found him intriguing.

A few days later, O (who organized the first party) and M (who the first party was held for) invited Mary and her friends to a pool party in honor of M. It seemed odd to Mary, as they had already attended a party for M earlier. But they decided to go because it sounded like a fun time, especially with swimming involved.

On the day of the pool party, the only girls present were Mary and her friends, along with one of the guy’s girlfriend who conveniently didn’t bring her swimsuit. The atmosphere felt strange, but they brushed it off despite feeling the boys’ leering gazes as they wore their swimsuits. When Mary saw that the water covered her friend, who was around the same height as her, she realized the pool was deep and didn’t want to enter. However, everyone insisted she joined, and so she did. Once in the pool, Mary found herself struggling in the deep water when K came up behind her, pressing himself against her while his friends laughed.

Mary felt extremely uncomfortable and tried to break free, but couldn’t. To make matters worse, it started to rain, and she felt someone’s hands against her upper thigh, just inches from her vagina. It turned out to be J. He lifted her under the pretense of teaching her to swim, running his hands over her body. J would pass her to K, who would do the same and pass her back to J.

Unfortunately, this was not the only time Mary had to go through something like this as she soon was met with another nasty experience in the hands of another person in her second year.

She met a guy at a shop where she was helping her friend pick out rings. They exchanged numbers, and he asked to meet up the next day, claiming he had to drop off notes from a coursemate who lived in her hostel. When he arrived, he didn’t have any notes, and they went for a stroll instead. He suggested watching a match in his hostel, and she agreed. Eventually, they made their way up to his room. Once inside, he locked the door and sexually assaulted her. She begged him to stop and tried to escape, but he overpowered her.

‘Then he told me he wanted to watch a match in his hostel Mellanby and the next thing he was taking me to his room. Silly me. I didn’t think much of it… Only to get there and he locks the door. I remember when it started, it was 6:14. I kept begging and asking him to stop that I didn’t want this. It was 7 minutes of hell. Occasionally, he would leave me when he hears people shouting downstairs about the match’ Mary told IndyPress.

He only let her go when she claimed that she had something urgent to pick up but not before leaving her with a forceful kiss on her lips.

Some students have also had their harassers stalk them and as far as to class.

For Lola, a 4th year student, she was stalked and threatened by a boy she had rejected in the past. She had made it clear she wasn’t interested in him, but he continued to send her messages professing his love and admiration. When she cut ties with him, he started threatening her and her family. Despite blocking his number, he continued to call her from other lines. The situation escalated when he followed her home, but she managed to persuade him to leave her alone. However, he showed up in her classroom one morning, unkempt and rambling about ‘inheritance, threats, and nonsense’. A lecturer intervened, however she was still shaken by the encounter, believing the stalker was either mad or under an influence.

The effects of sexual harassment on these victims can hardly be comprehended, or fully understood by one who has never gone through such acts. Mental, emotional psychological effects which sometimes also reflects on the victims physically.

Grace for instance explains that for a whole week, she had avoided stepping out at night and even opted to walk to her destination instead of taking any form of public transportation.

‘After the incident, I first discarded that skirt, I couldn’t imagine myself wearing it after he had touched it. I remember refusing to touch my leg too because it somehow felt contaminated. I also stopped taking the cab for a while. I would leave my room and convince myself that I’d be taking the cab but when I got there, I’d just make a beeline and start walking instead. I also couldn’t eat for a few days. Anything I ate came back right up. It wasn’t the best time for me to be honest.’

Mary on the other hand after both incidents, felt both sick and disgusted. At some point she had also blamed herself for what had happened before she managed to snap herself out of it.

When asked how Lola had felt being stalked by someone, she said it had left her scared and frightened all the time, ‘I now walk around with a pepper spray, I’m always looking over my shoulder and now, when I see someone with dreadlocks, I get scared immediately’

Recovering from sexual harassment can be tough, it could take years, months, weeks and so on. However it is always important to take the right steps towards recovery. While Grace admits to not doing anything to help her recover from such traumatic experience, as she planned to just get better, Lola and Mary on the other hand, did seek counseling and support from friends and family after the incidents occurred.

Recovery from sexual harm is a complex and personal process that varies for each individual. However one very common method that victims can resort to especially in the University community is therapy and counseling. Professional therapists and counselors who specialize in trauma and sexual abuse can provide essential support. Such counseling and therapy can be accessed through the social work unit of the University Health Service.

Sexual harassment in academic institutions often persists due to a culture of silence. Victims frequently refrain from reporting incidents due to fear of retaliation, stigma, or not being believed. This silence is perpetuated by societal norms and institutional failures that discourage open discussions about sexual misconducts. The fear of victim-blaming, along with the potential academic and social repercussions, further deters individuals from expressing their experiences. Consequently, many cases of sexual harassment remain unreported, allowing perpetrators to evade accountability.

The University of Ibadan has established a structured procedure for addressing complaints of sexual harassment, as outlined in its Sexual Harassment Policy:

All complaints regarding the violation or infringement of the Sexual Harassment (SH) policy should be made at the Gender Mainstreaming Office (GMO) and, where appropriate, referred to the relevant authorities. Informal complaints (i.e, oral complaints) are treated administratively. The receiving officer will make a record of the complaint, even if it is not formalized. A formal complaint must be in writing, signed, and submitted at the GMO. Complaints can be filed by the victim, anyone advocating on the victim’s behalf, or a witness. The decision to make a complaint formal or informal lies with the victim or their advocate. Upon receiving a report, the GMO will initiate an investigation to ascertain the facts and nature of the incident. The University reserves the right to investigate and conclude any reported Sexual Harassment incident. The investigating officer has the authority to invite relevant persons for questioning and to gather comments, clarifications, and opinions to facilitate the investigation and determine appropriate redress.

The University of Ibadan’s Gender Mainstreaming Office (GMO) has been actively addressing issues of sexual harassment and gender-based violence. Recently, they held a career fair and seminar focusing on skill development and sexual harassment awareness. The GMO also launched a campaign to combat sexual harassment and gender-based violence through educational programs and support services. Additionally, the Anti-Sexual Harassment Forum (AFA) organized a two-day consultation with student leaders to discuss prevention strategies and improve reporting mechanisms. These efforts aim to foster a safer and more respectful campus environment.

PostScript – Names have been changed to protect identities.