Abstract

The purpose of the study was to analyze "sexual harassment and its psychological effects on the students at the university level." The objectives of the study were to identify the awareness and the causes of sexual harassment among university students. The main purpose of the study was to identify the factors that caused the increasing rate of sexual harassment in educational institutions. The data was collected with a five-point Likert scale that consisted of thirty-nine (39 statements). The statements were further divided into five (05) factors. The factors related to ethnicity and gender, awareness about sexual harassment act, causes of sexual harassment, reporting of sexual harassment, psychological impacts of sexual harassment. A sample of three hundred (300) students was randomly selected out of the whole population of Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, from fifteen departments with equal ratios, male (150) and female (150) students were selected. The obtained scores were analyzed using different statistical methods. SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) was used for statistical data analysis. The results show that at university, girls try to impress others with their styles and gestures. This research indicated that psychological effects on the students are notable as they suffered mental trauma, stress, and anxiety.

Harassment, Women, University, Students

Sexual harassment in terms of discrimination has different forms, which occur through different actions and words. Most of the girls face harassment daily sometimes, people see it easily, and sometimes it's difficult to see. Most girls face harassment in college and university life, but they take more courage than uneducated girls. These girls face most of the difficulties in his life; for example, they have low strength to face other people, and they never share their difficulties with their parents; that is why their life becomes more difficult. Wolff (2017) described that sexual harassment affects the behaviors and causes of psychological distress. Every parent needs to give the time of their children and discuss their daily routine even their children go to school or not. 

Most of the educated girls think that we solve our problems on our own, but that is not a good thought. When they face harassment by other people, they hide them because they think if we tell this issue, our respect and admiration will be disturbed because everybody thought that this girl is not good, the harassment at the university level increased the crime factors (Abe, 2012).

Dogar (2021) stated the perception of sexual harassment among university students. In this situation, a person requires trust only their parents. The government billed this law if anybody harasses you by action or words modesty or causing sexual harassment at workplace or public place etc. has been criminalized under Section 509 of the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860, which is punishable for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine up to five hundred thousand rupees. Still, our government did not work properly in this law. Lindquis (2018) explained that sexual harassment experiences and consequences for women in the universities, students harassed by their teachers. The teachers harassed the girls by blackmailing them and tell if they wanted to increase their GPA, they spent some together, and if they did not do this, they decreased their GPA. Gurung (2016) opinioned that knowledge of sexual harassment among undergraduate students in the universities.

Ceccato (2021) explained his opinion that the fear of sexual harassment and its impact on people's safety draw a further problems, and this perception creates a negative image of that particular person; the educational environment needs to develop motivation for the victims. Yousaf (2016) indicated that the harassment act and the implementation of the act in higher education institutions have a positive impact on the behaviors of the students. This awareness further added the healthy involvement of the students in the activities. Harassment increases by social media as most of the cases when we know about social media blackmailing (Bastiani, 2019). 

Moreover, Tilley (2020) stated that increased in the risk of sexual assault and sexual harassment in the universities and various places are not reported after that most of the students faced mental distress and sexual harassment in universities in some cases harassed by social media when students used Facebook and accept the unknown friend request and start the conversation. After that, his unknown relation converted into a relationship, and students were trapped by their information, pictures, and other related data. Campbell et al. (2021) added that unwanted sexual acts among university students create victimization of the person in multiple ways. But they forget that her relationship is not strong and we do not know more about his friend, and when they send her pics, this man misuses the pics by sharing the pics of his friends, sharing pics on Facebook, sharing pics on YouTube, and sharing pics in Instagram by cropping and editing to convert his pics in nude pics. Then they harassed the girls by blackmailing and telling him, if you do not want that, I cannot leak his pics on social media.

In this condition, Klein (2019) mentioned that sexual harassment in college and universities results in different moral and peace declining situations. The cyber sexual harassment students, most of the girls, make mistakes because they do not tell this issue of anyone, both their parents, and then start to solve this issue on their own. That is why these girls make the wrong decisions and take her life in a suicide option. If they share this issue with their parents, they do not want to take the suicide option because their parents know that what they can do at this stage (Arafa et al., 2018).

Sexual harassment and assault among university students if you want to solve this issue, then first you tell this issue by your teacher, family member, and tell him what kind of this situation you are in. Fill out a form at either a school or police station to let them know what's going on. Keep records about everything that is happening. Record dates, times, names, and other information that might help (Sivertsen et al., 2019). Further, people face a lot of harassment cases because both country's people's mindsets are very narrow, and our social media convert new youth into negativity, sexuality, nudeness, and fakeness (Farahat, 2017).

Wolff (2017) opinioned that sexual harassment, psychological distress, and problematic drinking behavior among college students: An examination of reciprocal causal relations in other countries, if you want to see negativity, sexuality, nudeness, and fakeness then first you need to pay for this and these sides are most expensive that is why other country people stay away from these web sides except Pakistan and India. If you are in Pakistan and India, then you do not need any money to see these web sides because they are free in both countries (Bondestam, 2020).

Klein (2019) stated that sexual harassment of college and university students when I thought that Pakistan is a Muslim country and their religion does not permit to do this negativity but why do we see most of the harassment cases in Pakistan according to my thought when white people realize that the only way to compete the Muslims is to change the mindset and erase the good thoughts that they obtained by their Prophet and create the distance between Holy Quran nad also create the distance between families that is the sour concept of social media, but it is true. If you want to decrease the harassment cases in your country, then first, you need to strengthen your mind language. First, you need mental toughness, and mental toughness means if you feel any big or serious issue, you never do give up and always take a positive approach and always learn this line no is born mentally strong for example, good exercise and good food convert or makes you physically strong that is why similar few habits can make someone mentally strong. 

Introduction

Most people are very strange because when I met him the first time we thought that this man or girl was a good person and created trust in this person but never judged the people by their faces because we did not know this person take what feeling for me if this man is not exactly like his face, then this thing is very dangerous. Moreover, Romito (2019) observed that the mentally disordered and eating behaviors and sexual harassment for male and female universities.

In addition, Blais (2021) mentioned that the screening positive for military sexual harassment or assault is associated with higher compulsive sexual behavior in men military service members/veterans; dangerous harassment is taken by their own family because when we take this, we do not know to react in this condition and these girls if take harassment by their uncle they do not know to share by this condition if they tell this issue by her father they do not trust me (Barn, 2021). Rape myth acceptance in contemporary times and university students. We thought that my father brother was very important than me and everybody thought that she was not a good girl then their girls destroyed her respect on her own that is why they do not share her feeling with others and dealing this issue on their own that is the wrong point or way that everybody does this biggest mistake in her life because they do not have proper guts to sole this issue own her own in this condition evil take more time to do more things. If you want to solve this issue easily, then you need to discuss this issue with her mother because your mother is the only person that trusts you every time. 

Berthet (2021) gender, violence, and political institutions struggle over sexual harassment issue publicly then everybody thought that if women or girls don't want to take harassment, then they want to properly cover your body but women or girls thought that men or boys want to change his mindset and you don't order me what can I do and what can I wear but if we thought in a Muslim way we find the easy answer if you want to finish harassment in your country then you need to give permission your child if you want to marry then do marry and start the gorgeous life. The majority of people harassed the girls because they are single that is why they want to need the attention of other girls.

Furthermore, Ceccato & Loukaitou-Sideris (2021) explained that the trauma of sexual harassment and its impact on the institutions and workplace is also a very important issue in Pakistan, this faced every country because when a women go anywhere to find a job for himself they tell him in the interview if you want to need this job then first you need to spend some time with me and most of the girls agree in this condition because they need money and start sometimes with him, but that is not the good way they do not need only sometimes they need more and more because evil stomach never fills they need more, and more even your life destroy. Caamano-Isorna (2021) added that the rapped use of alcohol and use in the educational places boost sexual and physical assault and among university students: The government needs to take action on this issue because this is a very important issue, and if they do not do anything, in the end, you lose your every employee and in this condition, no one withdraws you in this serious crisis. The present study was conducted to examine the psychological effects of Sexual harassment on students in the universities.

Objectives of the Study

The objectives of the present study are as,

1)    To determine the awareness of sexual harassment among students.

2)    To find the causes of sexual harassment at the university level.

3)    To examine the psychological effects of sexual harassment on students.




Research Questions

The research objectives of the study as, 

1 Are the students aware of sexual harassment?

2 What are the causes of sexual harassment at higher institutions?

3 What are the psychological effects of sexual harassment on students? 




Significance of the Study

1. This study will be helpful for the future

researchers.

2. It may be essential for all educational institutes. 

3. It may be helpful for the teachers to be aware the students about sexual harassment.

4. It will also provide help for the students on how they protect themselves from sexual harassment.

Research Methodology

This study was descriptive in nature, and following procedure was followed,




Population

The total population of Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan was (35000) students, the target population of this research was the (BS-Students) that were (21700-students) were taken as the population of the present study.




Sample of the Study

The sample of the study was drawn from the total population (35000) of BZU, Multan; the population was too large therefore, through simple random sampling, fifteen (15) departments were taken as the first step as the sample, further from this department statistically 10% from the target population, the sample was drawn that was approximately three hundred (300) students.

Development of Research tool & Data Collection

This study is related to sexual harassment and its psychological effects among university students. The data was collected through a five-point Likert scale; the scale was used in social sciences for getting opinions of the respondents. The questionnaire consisted of (39 statements) that were further divided into five  (05) factors as, (1. ethnicity and gender, 2. awareness about sexual harassment act, 3. causes of sexual harassment, 4. reporting of sexual harassment, and 5. psychological effects of sexual harassment.) was designed to get the views of the students. The information sheet of each student was scored on the basis of frequency, percentage, and mean scores. The five-point attitude scale was scored giving weightage to all five levels. For each statement, the weightage was 5 for SA, 4 for A, 3 for U, 2 for DA, and 1 for SDA. The norm for acceptance and rejection of the statement on the part of the student was 3.00. Mean score more than 3.00 indicated the agreement, and less than 3.00 indicated disagreement of students regarding a specific element.

Results and Analysis of Data

After collecting all the information, statistical analysis was made to get final results.




 

Table 1

Factor: 1. Socio-Demographic Information

S. No	Statements	SDA	DA	U	A	SA	M
1	Due to poverty, students make unethical relations	(6.66%)	46 (15.33%)	45 (15%)	125 (41.6%)	64 (21.3%)	3.56
2	Extracurricular activities caused sexual harassment (SH)	14 (4.66%)	57 (19%)	62 (20.6%)	131 (43.6%)	36 (12%)	3.39
3	Rural side students harassed more than urban side students	16 (5.33%)	63 (21%)	50 (16.6%)	122 (40.6%)	49 (16.3%)	3.42
4	Girls who lived at hostels faced more SH from other students	17 (5.66%)	45 (15%)	49 (16.3%)	136 (45.3%)	53 (17.6%)	3.54
5	SH faced both (male and female) students in the institutions	16 (5.33%)	64 (21.3%)	58 (19.3%)	113 (37.6%)	49 (16.3%)	3.38
6	Male students also experienced SH by their teachers	44 (14.6%)	85 (28.3%)	84 (28%)	61 (20.3%)	26 (8.6%)	2.80
7	Male students experienced light touches from female fellows	10 (3.3%)	47 (15.6%)	77 (25.6%)	128 (42.6%)	38 (12.6%)	3.46
8	Female students harassed in university routes and buses	14 (4.6%)	44 (14.6%)	63 (21%)	119 (39.6%)	60 (20%)	3.55
9	Male teachers pass jokes of sexual nature to the students	24 (8%)	66 (22%)	67 (22.3%)	105 (35%)	38 (12.6%)	3.22
10	In some cases, female students invited on a private date by their teachers for sessional marks	20 (6.6%)	49 (16.3%)	49 (16.3%)	120 (40%)	62 (20.6%)	3.52

 




Table 1, shows that the majority of students (male and female) are agreed with all the statements of factor "Socio-demographic information" as the percentage of agreed students is greater than others. Due to poverty, students (girls & boys) make unethical relations at universities. As its mean score is 3.56, which is the highest among all mean scores given above. The lowest mean score is 2.80 which is "Male students are also experienced light touches from female fellows and friends". So, it is concluded that female students face much more harassment than male students.




 

Table 2

Factor: 2 Awareness of Sexual Harassment

S. No	Statements	SDA	DA	U	A	SA	M
1	Most girls in universities are unaware of sexual harassment acts	13 (4.33%)	34 (11.33%)	33 (11%)	149 (49.67%)	71 (23.66%)	3.77
2	Girls can not recognize the gestures of sexual harassment by male persons	17 (5.66%)	59 (19.66%)	57 (19%)	118 (39.33%)	49 (16.33%)	3.41
3	Girls willingly try to impress others by their styles and attractive behaviours	6 (2%)	18 (6%)	42 (14%)	132 (44%)	102 (34%)	4.02
4	University need to add in Curriculum about the awareness of SH	16 (5.33%)	27 (9%)	31 (10.33%)	126 (42%)	99 (33%)	3.88
5	Home training is necessary to protect girls from being sexually abused and crimes	9 (3%)	19 (6.33%)	32 (10.66%)	99 (33%)	141 (47%)	4.15
6	Awareness seminars about SH teach girls to protect from being harassed	11 (3.66%)	17 (5.66%)	24 (8%)	113 (37.66%)	135 (45%)	4.15
7	Teachers protect each other and hide the facts about sexual crimes (accused)	8 (2.66%)	34 (11.66%)	77 (25.66%)	115 (28.33%)	66 (22%)	3.66

 




Table 2 says that the majority of students are relied upon all the statements of factor "Awareness of sexual harassment" as the mean score is above 3.00 of each statement which is the norm of acceptance in social sciences research (see above table 4.2). Two of the statements, "Home training is necessary to protect the girls from sexual harassment in any situation" and "Awareness seminars about sexual harassment should be conducted in universities to teach girls how to protect themselves from being harassed," scored 4.15 mean which is the highest mean score. The lowest value of mean score is 3.41 that is "At university level girls can not recognize the gestures of sexual harassment and face more sexual harassment by males".




 

Table 3

Factor: 3. Causes of Sexual Harassment

S. No	Statements	SDA	DA	U	A	SA	M
1	Social media is the major cause of the increasing rate of SH in the institutions	4 (1.3%)	15 (5%)	11 (3.6%)	125 (41.6%)	145 (48.3%)	4.31
2	Open internet access is the main reason behind increasing SH cases	3 (1%)	15 (5%)	11 (3.6%)	125 (41.6%)	145 (48.3%)	4.13
3	Co-education system increasing the rate of SH among students in institutions	8 (2.6%)	47 (15.6%)	41 (13.6%)	124 (41.3%)	80 (26.6%)	3.74
4	Girls’ dressing and communication style increased the SH among youth	10 (3.3%)	24 (8%)	34 (11.3%)	129 (43%)	103 (34.3%)	3.97
5	Low moral development is a cause of increasing SH among youth	13 (4.3%)	19 (6.3%)	47 (15.6%)	139 (46.2%)	83 (27.6%)	3.87
6	Educated people abused their students more than uneducated people	20 (6.6%)	64 (21.3%)	82 (27.3%)	116 (38.6%)	48 (16%)	3.26
7	The semester system at institutions is a major cause of sexual harassment by teachers	27 (9%)	53 (17.6%)	81 (27%)	77 (25.6%)	62 (20.6%)	3.31

 




Table 3 shows factors about "causes of sexual harassment" in which the major cause is: "Social media is the major cause of the increasing rate of sexual harassment at institutional level" as its mean score is 4.31, which is the highest mean score in all above statements. The majority of students are agreed upon every statement of the factor as shown by its percentage (see table 4.3). The mean score is 3.26, which says that "Educated people sexually harassed their students more than uneducated people".




 

Table 4

Factor: 4. Reporting of Sexual Harassment

S. No	Statements	SDA	DA	U	A	SA	M
1	Due to an imbalance of power, females hesitate to report their problems	11 (3.6%)	18 (6%)	35 (21.6%)	132 (44%)	104 (34.6%)	4.00
2	Family fears of dishonesty stop the victim to report SH	7 (2.3%)	18 (6%)	43 (14.3%)	154 (51.3%)	78 (26%)	3.93
3	victims are reluctant to report their abused experiences with teachers	6 (2%)	20 (6.6%)	47 (15.6%)	152 (50.6%)	75 (25%)	3.90
4	Un-disciplined system in universities is the leading factor of  SH	9 (3%)	19 (6.3%)	44 (14.6%)	141 (47%)	141 (47%)	3.93
5	Girls need to report their parents and teacher when they faced harassment	7 (6.3%)	20 (6.6%)	32 (10.6%)	92 (30.6%)	149 (49.6%)	4.19
6	Girls inform police when someone is trying to sexually harass them	15 (5%)	35 (11.6%)	36 (12%)	96 (32%)	118 (39.3%)	3.89
7	Victims are reluctant to report due to the fear of drop outs from semester	9 (3%)	16 (33%)	50 (16.6%)	117 (39%)	108 (36%)	4.00
8	Some girls do not make complaint SH acts and willingly enjoy the situation	37 (12.3%)	48 (16%)	66 (22%)	93 (31%)	56 (18.6%)	3.28

 




Table 4 indicates the factor related to "reporting about the sexual harassment"; most of the students, both male and female, are agreed to all the statements which can be seen through the percentage in the above table (see table 4.4). The highest mean score is 4.19; that statement says, "Girls should report their parents and teacher when they are being harassed". The lowest value of the mean score is 3.28, which says that some girls do not report sexual harassment acts because they are enjoying the situation.




 

Table 5

Factor: 5. Psychological Effects of Sexual Harassment

S. No	Statement	SDA	DA	U	A	SA	M
1	SH psychological impact on the academic performance of female student	4 (1.33%)	25 (8.33%)	39 (13%)	125 (41.6%)	107 (35.6%)	4.02
2	SH makes female students mentally weak that they can't participate in their class	10 (3.33%)	16 (5.33%)	33 (11%)	152 (50.6%)	89 (29.6%)	3.98
3	The victim experienced minor mental disorder to extreme psychological trauma	7 (2.33%)	18 (6%)	58 (19.3%)	122 (40.6%)	95 (31.6%)	3.98
4	The impact of SH on victim's life is significant and leaves them in ruins	12 (4%)	14 (4.66%)	44 (18%)	132 (44%)	98 (32.6%)	3.98
5	Sexual harassment has a psychological impact on both male and female students	14 (4.66%)	41 (13.66%)	77 (25.6%)	106 (35.3%)	62 (20.6%)	3.54
6	Victims of SH, in some cases, take revenge on other innocents	15 (5%)	34 (11.33%)	62 (20.6%)	126 (42%)	63 (21%)	3.63
7	Victims of SH faced mentally trauma with person or place where they harassed	9 (3%)	21 (7%)	44 (14.6%)	116 (38.6%)	109 (36.3%)	3.99

 




Table 5 indicate the factor “Psychological effects of sexual harassment" all the statements of this factor scored a mean score above 3.5 which means that are statements are valid. The highest mean score is 4.02; according to this, sexual harassment has a psychological impact on the academic performance of female students in universities. The lowest value of mean score is 3.54, which is "Sexual harassment has a psychological impact on the academic performance of male and female students in universities".




 

Table 6

Gender	N	Mean	Std. Deviation
Male	151	34.0927	6.28474
Female	149	33.5839	5.84958
Male	151	27.6093	4.04635
Female	149	26.4564	4.33166
Male	151	26.4834	3.71457
Female	149	26.6846	3.85214
Male	151	31.2715	4.12138
Female	149	30.9329	4.50025
Male	151	27.6159	3.92575
Female	149	26.4899	4.31155

                                      




Factor Wise Analysis of the Mean Performance

Table 6 shows the results of the factorial analysis as, factor 1 (ethnicity and gender) have a high value of the mean (male, 34.09, female, 33.58) as compared of the other four factors. It depicts that students' ethnic background influenced on their sexual harassment experience. Poverty forced the students to make unethical relationships at university. Students who are involved in extracurricular activities face more harassment. Female students who belong to the ruler side and who live in the hostels are more harassed than others. It is concluded that male students also experience light touches by their fellow female students. According to the present results, it is pointed that sometimes female students are invited on a private date by their male teachers for a grade. Mean score ( male, 31.27, female, 30.93) of factor 4 ( reporting of sexual harassment) shows that female students do not report their experience of sexual harassment due to the imbalance of power between male and female students. The results of the present study girls should report their parents and teacher when they are being harassed. Another thing that is concluded from this factor is that the victims are reluctant to report about harassment due to the fear of dropping out at university. While the remaining factors' mean score have approximately the same response by male and female students.

Conclusions

The results of the present research indicated that most of the respondents agreed that due to poverty, students indulge in unethical relationships in universities. As the majority of the students agreed that they were involved in extracurricular activities and, in this, faced social harassment. Furthermore, the majority were agreed that the background of the students has also trapped them in negative acts. Moreover, sexual harassment faced both (male and female) students at higher educational institution. Sexual harassment by teachers also faced some respondents at university. In addition, most of the respondents were agreed that male students are also experienced light touches from female fellows and friends in different situations. Further, respondents were observed that female students were being harassed in university routes buses by drivers and conductors. The results further added that university male teachers pass jokes and comments of sexual nature to the students, and in some cases, female students were invited on a private date by their teachers for sessional marks. In the educational settings, most of the girls were unaware of the sexual harassment acts and protection acts in the institutions, the unaware attitude created the acceptance of unethical acts sometimes, students were unable to recognize the gestures of sexual harassment and faced more threats. 

The results described that in some cases, sexual harassment involved the willingness of the respondents to impress others by their styles and body gestures. Moreover, the awareness about sexual assault attitudes must be mentioned in the university curriculum, the awareness of sexual harassment involved in the syllabus in educational institutions. Moreover, the home training by the parents has a necessary element to protect the girls from sexual harassment in any situation. The awareness seminars about sexual harassment help to protect the females and male students from the upcoming hazards of sexual abuse in educational institutions. 

Further, the results indicated that in the educational institutions teachers protect each other and hide the facts about sexual crime (accused). The role of social media and open internet access increased the sexual activities in universities, the co-education system caused creating anxiety about sexual harassment among students. The dressing sense of university students gradually developed the moral degradation in the attitudes of the students that leads to sexual attraction and harassment among youth, the low moral development in educated people more sexually harassed their students than uneducated people. The semester system increased the imbalance of power between the authorities. The mostly females cannot report their problem in the universities. The results explained that sexual harassment has a strong impact as psychologically on the academic performance of the students; further, the psychological conditions effects the academic performance of the female student; they faced mental weakness, with this, they couldn't participate in their class. Victims have experienced the minor mental disorder to extreme psychological damage. Sexual harassment on victim's careers and life is significant and leaves them in ruins. Victims who experience sexual harassment, in some cases, act in extreme ways and bluntly to face the world. Victims of sexual harassment, in some cases, take revenge from other innocent persons for their pain, victims of sexual harassment face mental trauma whenever they face that person and situation that was related to their mental torture.

Suggestions and Discussion

The higher-level institutions, especially universities faced various types of sexual harassment that created mental and physical illness among students. This situation further leads to social destructions in values and morals (Lombardo & Bustelo, 2021). Sexual and sexist harassment policy implementation some places faced resistance, the gender equality issues now disseminated in education institutions. Victims throughout their life face fears, in some cases, discontinue their educational careers. Furthermore, sexual harassment has been spread in the educational system as it is affecting the student's well-being both socially and emotionally, due to which the quality of education is going down. The public anti-harassment campaigns add some awareness towards the harassment acts. The involvement of students in public campaigns developed social acceptance and awareness for the sexual abuses; these activities create acceptance towards the victims. Moreover, Anwar (2019) stated in his research that the types of sexual harassment in public to institutional level create anxiety, so the awareness from class and home developed the sense for those who unaware the consequences of the sexual threats. Universities themselves need to address and published brochures and orientation programs for new students. Experienced and well-trained counselors hired in the universities to listen and solve the traumatic situations of the students (Madrid & Campdepadros, 2020). In addition, universities worked to formulate the appropriate policies with appropriate punishments for the offenders. The reporting process and the cases are clearly stated and addressed accordingly to the heads of departments, hall masters/mistresses, and other related authorizes. Furthermore, the related authorities worked to solve the issue related with the victims of sexual harassment. Aina (2018) opinioned that majority in these situations feel shy and embarrassed to report such incidents, the feeling of shame and humiliation further create self-inferiority in the victim that further cause of creating dangerous development of personality. It is expected that a positive and constructive attitude for the victims would lead to appropriate behavior (Lyons et al., 2021). In addition, young people particularly students required to behave in a decent and responsible manner. The training of the children from the early levels about the sexual words acts and touches prevent the persons from the psychological illness and mental trauma.

Recommendations

1. Curriculum related to the awareness of sexual harassment should be added to the syllabus.

2. Awareness seminars should be organized at the university level.

3. Home training should be given to the students by their parents.

4. The semester system should be replaced by the annual examination system.

5. Girls should have to keep their reserve and wear the proper dresses.

6. The communication style of girls should not be appealing.

7. The co-education system at universities should be banned.

8. Open access to the internet should not give to the students.

9. There should be a check on the university routes drivers and conductors.

Recommendations for Further Research

1. The present study comprises a sample of 300 students. Further study can increase the sample size.

2. In future studies, more statistical techniques can be used.

3. In future studies, both private and public-sector universities may be included for research purposes.

4. Teachers and Parents may also be selected for taking the opinions.

5. The universities should therefore establish an office for sexual harassment complaints.

6. A confidential web-based method of lodging complaints of sexual harassment will go a long way in removing those obstacles, such as shame, self-pity and anger, which victims suffer, and thereby encouraging them to report cases of sexual harassment. 

Above all, there is the need to educate young people about sexuality, human rights, and acts related to men and women. Training from primary school will go a long way in empowering young people, particularly girls, to handle sexual abuse, including harassment later in life. In addition, adequate and appropriate information/knowledge would result in a healthy attitude towards one's sexuality and, therefore, self-protection in such matters.  

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