THE Lagos State University, in partnership with Aston University, Birmingham, has held a British Council-funded training session on sexual violence awareness for the students of the Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), Otto-Ijanikin campus.
The event, which was held on Monday, July 10, 2023, had participants comprising staff from the Departments of Guidance and Counselling, Educational Technology, Nursing, and Entrepreneurship in the first session. Also, students from the Departments of Health Education, Music, Theatre Arts, Fine Arts, and Science were in attendance. Facilitators present at the exercise include Dr Olawunmi Oni-Buraimoh, Associate Professor in the Department of English Language at the Lagos State University (LASU), Dr Abayomi Bello, Lecturer in the Theatre Arts Department, LASU, and Mrs Catherine Adewojo, Baobab for womens’ human rights organization.
The event was split into three sessions of members of staff, male students, and female students. The introductory questions and answers were geared to make the participants relaxed and they were also informed that the space is safer.
Meanwhile, at the end of discussions, the Menti app was used to conduct the second part of the listening exercise where participants anonymously answered questions like “Have you ever been a victim of bullying, harassment, unwanted sexual advances, inappropriate comments, staring, and any other unsolicited behaviours?” “Do you know if there are any existing policies and frameworks in your University about safe and inclusive campuses?” and “How visible are these policies across the staff and student body?” “Are they disseminated to all offices, websites, entrance gates libraries, etc?”
A substantial number of respondents claim that they have been victims of some forms of sexual harassment and bullying while some claim that there are existing policies for a safe and inclusive campus. Quite a number of the participants also agree that these policies are visible around the campus.