Experience of Sexual Harassment among Female Students in Alexandria University

Toama, Zakia Toma ,; El Sherbini, Hanan Hosni; Abdo, Rasha Abd El Hakim ,; Basry, Eman Gaber Hassan ,

doi:10.21608/asalexu.2025.414966

Experience of Sexual Harassment among Female Students in Alexandria University

Document Type : Research articles

Authors

¹ Professor Community Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University

² professor Community Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University

³ Clinical Instructor Community Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University

10.21608/asalexu.2025.414966

Abstract

Background: Sexual harassment is a pervasive issue that affects women worldwide, endangering
their safety, health, and self-respect. It is especially common among young women in Egyptian
communities, despite efforts to combat it. Objective: To explore sexual harassment experience among
female students in Alexandria University. Settings: The study was carried out in all Faculties affiliated to
Alexandria University. They accounted for 19 faculties. Subjects: A convenient sample of 650 female
university students was selected from the previously mentioned settings by using the proportional
allocation method. Tools: one tool was used. Part one:” Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Female
University Students and Their Families”. Part two: “Female University Students' Opinion about Sexual
Harassment Questionnaire”. Part three: “Female University Students' Exposure to Sexual Harassment".
Part four:" Female University Students' Response & Coping to Sexual Harassment. Results: The majority
of the female students were exposed to sexual harassment, which was perpetrated mainly by strangers
followed by colleagues and relatives. Moreover, sexual harassment occurred mainly in the street,
transportation, recreational places, educational institutions, and to a lesser extent at home. Most of the
studied students had good opinion and knowledge about sexual harassment, but less than half of them had
no knowledge about the Egyptian efforts to combat sexual harassment. Additionally, less than threequarters
of studied students didn't know about the existence of the anti-violence unit at Alexandria
University. Furthermore, avoidance and confrontation were the most frequently used coping strategies by
the victims of female students. Conclusion: Although most of the studied students had a good knowledge
about sexual harassment, but they were exposed to sexual harassment in a high percentage.
Recommendations: Educational campaigns and programs should be run to inform university students
about Alexandria University's anti-violence unit and Egyptian efforts to prevent sexual harassment,
including laws that punish offenders and a hotline for reporting incidents.

Keywords