Female Faculty of Education undergraduate students’ sexual harassment experiences during work – placement.

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume IV, Issue IX, September 2020 | ISSN 2454–6186

Female Faculty of Education Undergraduate Students’ Sexual Harassment Experiences during Work – Placement

 Mawere Daniel and Moyo Annah
Gender Institute, Midlands State University, Zimbabwe

Abstract: The study aimed at finding out the sexual harassment experiences of female undergraduate student teachers during work related learning in secondary schools, who the perpetrators were and the extent to which these experiences were reported. All this being done in order to mitigate sexual harassment incidences during work-placement. The organizational theory of sexual harassment with its focus on how power is abused to sexually harass especially females in organisations informed the study. A qualitative exploratory descriptive design was employed in conducting the study. Convenient sampling technique was used to come up with the study sample. Face to face interviews were carried out with female undergraduate students. These students had experienced sexual harassment and had returned from a year long period of work experience. The interviews were audio taped. A thematic content analysis was used in analysing data. The study found out that female undergraduate students experienced verbal, physical and visual sexual harassment from male perpetrators inclusive of mentors, other qualified teachers and some school heads.Very few students reported their experiences to both school management and faculty of education leaders. Most participants did not report their sexual harassment experiences at all. The main reasons for not reporting were: fear of being victimised by the school community after reporting; having an attitude that nothing will be done about the sexual harassment report; ignorance of where and how to report as well as thinking that it was not very important for sexual harassment victims to report the experiences, among other reasons. Mitigating sexual harassment in practicing schools is possible: when teacher preparation programmes provide training to undergraduate students about sexual harassment in work- placements; when there are quality relationships, safe, supportive and trusting learning environments in the practicing schools.

Key terms: Sexual harassment, work-placement, work-related learning, teaching practice, mentor, practicing school

I. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Workplace learning is becoming an increasingly common experience for undergraduate students transitioning from formal education into the workplace. Work-placement currently features in most professional degree programmes. In universities, most programmes integrate formal pedagogy with practical work experience. A wide variety of terms are used to describe this experience. These terms include work-placement, work-related learning and teaching practice, among others. In this study, these three terms feature

Read More