Characterization, prevalence and associated factors of sexual harassment in students of the Faculty of Chemical Sciences of a Higher Education Institution in Cuenca, year 2023

Abstract

Background: sexual harassment in universities a phenomenon that is little addressed and hidden; however, it is a latent reality that has a strong impact on the victims, especially on their mental health.

Objective: determine the characteristics, prevalence and associated factors of sexual harassment in students of the Faculty of Chemical Sciences of a Higher Education Institution in Cuenca, year 2023.

Methods: observational, analytical, cross-sectional study. 378 students who met the inclusion criteria participated; stratified sampling was applied. The information was collected through a virtual form. The analysis of the information was carried out through descriptive statistics and bivariate analysis.

Results: the prevalence of sexual harassment was 32.5% (95% CI: 27.83-37.51). 19% of harassment cases occurred in women, 29.1% in the age range of 20 to 35 years, 28% heterosexual and 11.6% in Environmental Engineering majors. 70.7% of students suffered verbal sexual harassment, 56.1% non-verbal and 56.1% physical. 39.8% of events perceived as harassment occurred before but not in the last year, 34.1% were repetitive before and during the last 12 months and 26% only in the last year of studies. Across all dimensions of sexual harassment, male students were the most frequent harassers. Being a woman was a risk factor associated with sexual harassment (p˂0.05).

Conclusions: a high prevalence of sexual harassment was identified at the university; being a woman was a risk factor.