Nosa Obanor, Department of Health, Physical and Secondary Education, College of Education, Fayetteville State University, 1200 Murchison Road, Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Kofi Johnson, Department of Intelligence Studies, Geospatial Science, Political Science and History, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Fayetteville State University, 1200 Murchison Road, Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Chandrika Johnson, Department of Health, Physical and Secondary Education, College of Education, Fayetteville State University, 1200 Murchison Road, Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Abstract
Objective: Sexual harassment is a major issue of universal discourse. However, the degree of attention to the issue is not universal because of cultural, economic and perception of sexual harassment differences. This study provides a description of perceptions and experiences of sexual harassment of health care workers in a Nigerian health care institution. Method: A questionnaire was administered to health workers in a University Teaching Hospital located in a metropolitan city in the South-South region of Nigeria. Results and Conclusion: A hundred and ten questionnaires were analyzed. The majority (92.7%) of respondents were females. Respondents ages ranged from 18 to 64 years. The 45-64 age group accounted for 36% of respondent followed by 18-25 age group (26%). Of the respondents, 62.7% were married and 30.9% single. Seventy percent of respondents were in the nursing profession. Fifty four (49.1%) respondents affirmed that there was enough societal awareness of sexual harassment. Although 19% of respondents reported having experienced sexual harassment, there appears to be discrepancies in the interpretation and/or perception of sexual harassment in this group. Some respondents who said they had never been victims of sexual harassment reported they had been sexually harassed and identified forms of sexual harassment they had experienced. Results also show that there is victim-blaming among this group with 50% of respondents believing “provocative” dressing is an invitation for harassment. A greater number of participants from different backgrounds and walks of life should be used to validate the findings in this study

Keywords
Culture, Perception, Sexual harassment.

Cite this paper
Nosa Obanor, Kofi Johnson, Chandrika Johnson, Perceptions and Experiences of Sexual Harassment Among Health Care Workers in a Nigerian Health Care Institution , SCIREA Journal of Health. Volume 4, Issue 2, April 2020 | PP. 16-29.

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