IMPLICATION OF SEXUAL ABUSE ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ATTAINMENT IN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

In recent years, the topic of sexual harassment has drawn the attention of academics from a wide range of disciplines. As dominant as this ill is,  there seems to be a scourge on morality issue having no regard for individual status, religious affiliation, wealth, education, or development of countries across the globe (Gowen, 2001; Berdahl, 2007; Dobbin, 2009; Menon et al., 2011).

Notably, because of acculturation, the striving for modernity, which is a paradigm that encompasses democracy in politics and capitalism in economics as well as positivism in science, appears to have encouraged the escalation of the disease in impoverished civilizations. Women were compelled to renounce their traditional duties in the home in order to compete on an equal footing with men as a result of ideas inherent in the capitalist economy (Kofi, 2010). Pioneered by the past acculturation of Africe, where the function of women in society was restricted to the household of their husbands. The limited responsibilities of women in traditional society at that time must have prevented traditional civilizations from facing the significant issues of sexual assault that we are currently witnessing (Anugwomet al., 2010). Other factors in addition to the economic, social, and political variables that make women more vulnerable to sexual abuse than males, included cultural factors which have had a significant impact in the incidence of sexual abuse among women. Masculine honor, masculinity, and a sense of men's sexual entitlement are all cultural norms that contribute to social acceptance of sexual violence (World Health Organisation, 2002). To buttress further, Wasti and Cortina, (2002) opined that the conventional gender norms, which permit only males to have premarital and extramarital sex, contribute to the acceptability of homosexuality. Males are therefore seen to require sexual intimacy, whereas women are typically considered to be unsuited for such an activity

Conversely, in today's culture, there is no justification for sexual abuse of any kind, regardless of the circumstances. The plague is an absurdity not just in Christian, but also in civil society, and it indicates an acceleration of moral degeneration in modern countries, which has negative consequences for health and scholastic achievement. Nigeria's secondary school system, where morality is intended to be utilized to supplement academic success, is seeing an increase in the number of cases of this. This is becoming a rising source of worry. When something like this happens in academia, which is tasked with the burden of molding and sifting the next generation of virile leaders, it is both astounding and alarming (Jega, 2013). Although sexual abuse is a worldwide epidemic that affects people of all ages, nationalities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. It has major long-term ramifications; it is a horrible and tragic occurrence; and it is a serious breach of a child's rights to health and protection, which must be addressed (Sakelliadis et al., 2009).

 In many regions of the world, notably in Africa, sexual abuse continues to be a widespread, but often disregarded, problem that must be addressed. Even in Nigeria, reporting sexual assault in general, and child sexual abuse in particular, is considered shameful, terrifying, and stigmatizing by the majority of the population. Although the escalation of this menace in Nigeria's higher educational institutions may not come as a surprise to well-meaning Nigerians, given the high level of indiscipline and rottenness that exists in the country's society, its occurrence, prevalence, and impact on students' academic performance in the secondary school systems warrant scholarly investigation.

1.2    STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Sexual abuse is a societal problem that has expanded and grown exponentially in our educational institutions; even the secondary school system is not immune to the threat of sexual assault and abuse. It is well recognized in Nigeria that this social maladaptation is a cause for great worry since it has a negative impact on the lives and academic performance of pupils, as well as on the overall harmonious functioning of the entire social system. Human civilizations' ability to survive and operate effectively is jeopardized by sexual abuse and other linked problems. Abortions, unplanned pregnancies, the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and untimely deaths have all been linked to the consequences of sexual abuse in some way or another (Amosun, Ige and Ajala, 2010).

A number of studies have been conducted in recent years in Nigeria to address the societal problem of sexual abuse in the workplace (Yusuf, 2008; Kofi, 2010; Ige and Adeleke, 2012). While a few studies have been conducted on the incidence of sexual abuse at the university level (Omolola, 2007; Okeke, 2011; Abe, 2012), less is known regarding the frequency of sexual abuse at the secondary school level in Nigeria, and how it impacts students' academic performance. In other words, there have been no studies conducted to determine the prevalence of sexual abuse at the secondary school level, as well as the long-term consequences of such abuse. Therefore, this study intends to transcend the limit of the above study by filling these gaps in knowledge; by exploring the impact of sexual abuse and students’ academic achievement in senior secondary schools in Ogbomosho Local government in Oyo State.

1.3    OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The broad objective of this study is to examine the impact of sexual abuse and students’ academic achievement in senior secondary schools in Ogbomosho Local government in Oyo State. Other specific objectives includes to:

i.          To examine the prevalence of sexual molestation of student in secondary schools within Ogbomosho.

ii.        To establish factors deepening the occurrence of student sexual abuse in secondary schools.

iii.      To ascertain whether sexual molestation of secondary schools  student significantly affect their cognitive and affective capability.

iv.      To determine whether sexual abuse of secondary school student significantly impact their academic achievement.

1.4    Research Hypotheses

The research is guided by the following hypotheses:

Ho1: Sexual molestation of secondary schools student does bot significantly affect their cognitive and affective capability.

Ho2: Sexual abuse of secondary school student does not significantly impact their academic achievement.

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Findings of the study will enlighten Government on the need to establish laws and framework mitigating against sexual abuse. To  stakeholders of education and school personnel the study will compel them to initiate mechanism to curb occurrence of sexual abuse within school premises and charge those caught to face the wrath of the law. To counselors and civic societies the study will be helpful for them to create rapid awareness on this matter and sensitize parent and community on the need to stiop this wicked act as it is detrimental to the psychological, emotional and cognitive development of victim. Empirically, the study will add to the body of existing literature and serve as reference material to scholars who wishes to conduct further studies in related field.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of this study borders on  the impact of sexual abuse and students’ academic achievement in senior secondary schools in Oyo State. The study will further establish whether  Sexual molestation of secondary schools student does bot significantly affect their cognitive and affective capability. The study is however delimited selected secondary schools in in Ogbomosho Local government in Oyo State.

1.7 LIMITATION OF STUDY

Like in every human endeavour, the researchers encountered slight constraints while carrying out the study. The significant constraint was the scanty literature on the subject owing that it is a new discourse thus the researcher incurred more financial expenses and much time was required in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature, or information and in the process of data collection, which is why the researcher resorted to a limited choice of sample size covering only youth in Ogbomosho Local government in Oyo State.Thus findings of this study cannot be used for generalization for other states within Nigeria. Additionally, the researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work will impede maximum devotion to the research. Howbeit, despite the constraint encountered during the  research, all factors were downplayed in other to give the best and make the research successful.

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