The University of Education, Winneba (UEW) has intensified its efforts to combat sexual harassment on campus, leading to the prosecution and imprisonment of two students involved in cyber sexual harassment last semester.
Although the university’s student handbook outlines policies against such misconduct, authorities are now pushing for stricter measures to ensure campus safety and prevent further incidents.
Sexual harassment remains a pressing issue across university campuses in Ghana, often resulting in severe consequences. A recent case at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) ended tragically when a male student allegedly killed a female student over suspected infidelity.
At UEW, authorities have actively enforced stringent policies to curb harassment. However, concerns persist, including a recent case where a male student physically assaulted a female student for refusing to cook after he left money for the meal.
Rev. Canon James Andoh Appiah, an officer from the Dean of Students Affairs, highlighted some of the deceptive tactics students use to engage in harassment and warned against such behaviours.
He confirmed that the two students prosecuted last semester had been jailed.
“They play a game called ‘Do or Dare.’ They purchase high-alcohol liquor, always between a male and a female. One person asks the other a question most times, the males ask very difficult questions and when the female is unable to answer, she is asked to take a shot of the hard liquor.
“They do this until she gets buzzed, and then they take advantage of her. This has come to the attention of the administration, and we are working on it.
“Instead of a female renting a flat, the male rents one, and both live together as husband and wife. Some students also take advantage of nude pictures sent to them by their partners while in a relationship and use them for blackmail when the relationship ends.
“When such cases arise, we invite both parties for interrogation, and where necessary, we refer them to the police. As of now, two students have been jailed concerning such issues last semester.”
UEW is taking a firm stance against sexual harassment and is working to strengthen its policies. The university is also committed to empowering its gender centres to promote inclusivity while actively addressing gender-based harassment.
Jonathan Osei Owusu emphasized the need for fully functional gender centres in universities, stating,
“It is important that gender centres are established in universities. All the five universities we are discussing, they all have gender centres. However, while some are very robust in their dealings, others are still developing, and some do not even have a dedicated department.
“What we are trying to do is align policies with international best standards and see how we can support them in raising awareness through the centres that have been established.”