Health educator advises students to report sexual predators

A Health Educator, Prof. Basirat Oladipupo, has advised students of Lagos State University, Ojo, to always speak out and report sexual predators to the school authorities to curb harassment.

Oladipupo, also Director, Sandwich Degree Programme in LASU, gave the advice at a workshop organised by the Faculty of Social Sciences Gender Committee, LASU on Wednesday in Lagos.

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The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that theme of the workshop was: “Sex for Grades in Tertiary Institution: Matters Arising”.

Oladipupo said that reporting such case to female lecturers or Students Affair Units on time would help other students not to be the next victims.

She said that it would also assist the management to curb sexual harassment in tertiary institutions in the country.

“University authorities should also take prompt action on students’ reports and declare zero tolerance on sexual harassment.

“If students refused to reports such case, the lecturer will keep on embarrassing or harassing the students, and many other students can fall into the predator’s hand,” Oladipupo said.

She said that sex for grades was a situation where students give their bodies in exchange for marks, which was also known as academic fraud.

“Sex for grade can affect students psychologically, socially and emotionally, which can also lead to low self-esteem, anxiety and depression.

“Most times, this situation happens to weak those that are not doing well academically.

“We cannot rule out sex for grade totally in our institutions; but here in LASU, few lecturers might be involved in such act, because there is a law against such act,” Oladipupo said.

Also, Dr Femi Obayori, Dean, Students Affairs Unit in LASU, said there was a policy on sexual harassment which all members of staff and students were expected to read, understand and follow.

Obayori said that due to the policy, sex for grades had reduced in LASU, because of the awareness that the university do not tolerate such act.

“We have zero tolerance for sexual harassment; but I believe we still have a lot to do so that we can eliminate such act permanently in the university.

“Students are very free to come and report any case at the Students Affairs Unit which will be treated confidentially.

“Currently, LASU is using technology to solve the menace of sexual harassment through the monitoring application created by the Computer Science Department of the university,” he said.

In her remarks, Dr Olabisi Yusuf, Chairperson, Faculty of Social Sciences Gender Committee, LASU, said that the workshop would create awareness among students on how they could handle the issue of sex for grades.

Yusuf said that every student should be well informed on what to do and how to handle it when confronted with such acts.

“This workshop started five years ago which is to deal with gender-related issues among students, and sex for grade is one of the issues.

“Students should not make themselves vulnerable by not dressing provocatively, so that nobody will harass them,” she said.