Sexual harassment and Assault on University Campus Affects Academic Performance and Well-Being: Perceptions and Experiences of Female Students

Abstract

Sexual harassment is a global issue. Sexual assault continues to be prevalent and consequential experience for university students. Universities and victims themselves need to understand that the consequences are not just physical and psychological but can also negatively impact academic performance. Therefore, this qualitative exploratory case study research has been conducted through in-depth interviews from a liberal feminist perspective to analyze the perceptions and experiences of female students regarding sexual harassment and assault (SHA) on university campuses as a factor affecting academic performance and well-being. In this study, the universe of the researchers is Karachi. Researchers used purposive sampling with a sample size of 12 female students. The data was analyzed through the thematic analysis method. Although respondents shared a range of viewpoints on how the prevalence of SHA on university campuses affects students' academic performance and well-being. However, the majority of respondents did not perceive much variation in such experiences based on their gender identity and socioeconomic status. Moreover, in respondents’ opinion, SHA can be significantly reduced over time by implementing strict measures.