Patterns, Perpetrators and Circumstances Leading to Sexual Harassment among Female Undergraduate Students of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Nigeria

Abdullahi Shehu; Habibullah Adamu; Ango Muhammad Umar; Nana Aisha Adamu; Nuru Suleiman Muhammad; Umar Abdullahi; Munir Sidi Shu’aibu; Ayotunde Sherif Azees

doi:10.5455/JPHCM.20250508104303

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Original Article
Online Published: 09 Jun 2025

J Pub Health Comm Med. 2025; 4(2): 84-92

doi: 10.5455/JPHCM.20250508104303

Patterns, Perpetrators and Circumstances Leading to Sexual Harassment among Female Undergraduate Students of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Nigeria

Abdullahi Shehu, Habibullah Adamu, Ango Muhammad Umar, Nana Aisha Adamu, Nuru Suleiman Muhammad, Umar Abdullahi, Munir Sidi Shu’aibu, Ayotunde Sherif Azees.

Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background: Sexual harassment (SH) is an unwanted and disturbing public health concern in higher institutions globally. In this study, female undergraduate students at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Nigeria, were evaluated for sexual harassment patterns, perpetrators, and circumstances.
Methods: The study, which involved female undergraduate students, was carried out in March/April 2021 at Sokoto. It was a descriptive cross-sectional study design. The respondents (232) were selected by multistage sampling technique. A self-administered, semi-structured questionnaire served as the research tool. In addition to using descriptive statistics, the data was presented in tables.
Result: Unwanted touch (Physical SH 56 [24.1%]), unwanted referring to babe, doll or honey (Verbal SH 56 [24.1%]), and unwanted sexually suggestive stares (Non-verbal SH 56 [24.1%]) were the common patterns of sexual harassment experienced by the respondents. Classmates, 57 (55.9%), and friends of victims (e.g., from different departments or levels), 28 (27.5%), were the commonest perpetrators of sexual harassment. Dating [37 (35.9%)] and visitation [26 (25.2%)] were among the commonest circumstances leading to sexual harassment of the respondent.
Conclusion: Unwanted touch (physical SH), unwanted referring to babe, doll or honey (verbal SH) and unwanted sexually suggestive stares (non-verbal SH) were the common patterns of sexual harassment experienced by the respondents. Classmates were the commonest perpetrators, and dating was the commonest circumstance leading to sexual harassment of the respondent. Sexual harassment policy should be strengthened by the government/school authority to set severe punishments for perpetrators of sexual harassment. Dating and visitation requests by male students should be rejected by female students to avoid sexual harassment.

Key words: Patterns, Perpetrators, Sexual harassment, Female undergraduates, Sokoto.

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How to Cite this Article

Pubmed Style

Shehu A, Adamu H, Umar AM, Adamu NA, Muhammad NS, Abdullahi U, Shu'aibu MS, Azees AS. Patterns, Perpetrators and Circumstances Leading to Sexual Harassment among Female Undergraduate Students of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Nigeria. J Pub Health Comm Med. 2025; 4(2): 84-92. doi:10.5455/JPHCM.20250508104303

Web Style

Shehu A, Adamu H, Umar AM, Adamu NA, Muhammad NS, Abdullahi U, Shu'aibu MS, Azees AS. Patterns, Perpetrators and Circumstances Leading to Sexual Harassment among Female Undergraduate Students of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Nigeria. https://www.wisdomgale.com/jphcm/?mno=257099 [Access: June 17, 2025]. doi:10.5455/JPHCM.20250508104303

AMA (American Medical Association) Style

Shehu A, Adamu H, Umar AM, Adamu NA, Muhammad NS, Abdullahi U, Shu'aibu MS, Azees AS. Patterns, Perpetrators and Circumstances Leading to Sexual Harassment among Female Undergraduate Students of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Nigeria. J Pub Health Comm Med. 2025; 4(2): 84-92. doi:10.5455/JPHCM.20250508104303

Vancouver/ICMJE Style

Shehu A, Adamu H, Umar AM, Adamu NA, Muhammad NS, Abdullahi U, Shu'aibu MS, Azees AS. Patterns, Perpetrators and Circumstances Leading to Sexual Harassment among Female Undergraduate Students of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Nigeria. J Pub Health Comm Med. (2025), [cited June 17, 2025]; 4(2): 84-92. doi:10.5455/JPHCM.20250508104303

Harvard Style

Shehu, A., Adamu, . H., Umar, . A. M., Adamu, . N. A., Muhammad, . N. S., Abdullahi, . U., Shu'aibu, . M. S. & Azees, . A. S. (2025) Patterns, Perpetrators and Circumstances Leading to Sexual Harassment among Female Undergraduate Students of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Nigeria. J Pub Health Comm Med, 4 (2), 84-92. doi:10.5455/JPHCM.20250508104303

Turabian Style

Shehu, Abdullahi, Habibullah Adamu, Ango Muhammad Umar, Nana Aisha Adamu, Nuru Suleiman Muhammad, Umar Abdullahi, Munir Sidi Shu'aibu, and Ayotunde Sherif Azees. 2025. Patterns, Perpetrators and Circumstances Leading to Sexual Harassment among Female Undergraduate Students of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Nigeria. Journal of Public Health and Community Medicine, 4 (2), 84-92. doi:10.5455/JPHCM.20250508104303

Chicago Style

Shehu, Abdullahi, Habibullah Adamu, Ango Muhammad Umar, Nana Aisha Adamu, Nuru Suleiman Muhammad, Umar Abdullahi, Munir Sidi Shu'aibu, and Ayotunde Sherif Azees. "Patterns, Perpetrators and Circumstances Leading to Sexual Harassment among Female Undergraduate Students of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Nigeria." Journal of Public Health and Community Medicine 4 (2025), 84-92. doi:10.5455/JPHCM.20250508104303

MLA (The Modern Language Association) Style

APA (American Psychological Association) Style

Shehu, A., Adamu, . H., Umar, . A. M., Adamu, . N. A., Muhammad, . N. S., Abdullahi, . U., Shu'aibu, . M. S. & Azees, . A. S. (2025) Patterns, Perpetrators and Circumstances Leading to Sexual Harassment among Female Undergraduate Students of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Nigeria. Journal of Public Health and Community Medicine, 4 (2), 84-92. doi:10.5455/JPHCM.20250508104303

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