I was stopped by a relative the other day, who asked me to write about a sad story of a lecturer, who is a sexual predator at one of the universities in Eswatini. Every part of my being was screaming that we should expose this monster, but as the Times of Eswatini is a mainstream newspaper, I cannot without substantial proof. Also, as an opinion writer, I might not have the investigative journalistic clearance required for it. The young lady could not hold her tears as she narrated her painful story.
She told me how her life hung in the balance, at the hands of this cruel sexual predator and how she finally made the decision to refuse to have sexual relations with him. Her single parent is not well-off and paying for her fees. You can imagine the weight of that decision. Even more difficult to comprehend was what was going through the mind of the sexual predator as he failed her, knowing very well that she did not deserve to fail.
Sexual manipulation and coercion
Sexual manipulation and coercion is a type of abuse that is not ‘simple sexual harassment’; it is coercive manipulation, targeted psychological grooming and exploitation of a girl’s or a boy’s lack of power, knowledge and courage.
These lecturers pick the most vulnerable: Rural students, first-generation university students, those who fear losing their place and those who don’t know the system.
Sexual predators in universities often rely on silent manipulation through compliments and subtle threats, which become more of a power imbalance act, leading to selective failure of certain female and male students who don’t comply.
Yes, male students are victims of female lecturers too. For those who do comply, the lecturer starts creating ‘dependency’ on them for favourable treatment and grades. Some students even believe this is normal or resign themselves to this abuse in silence.
The law calls this ‘coercion and abuse of power,’ even if the student, as in some cases, gives in to the abuse and never says ‘no’ out loud, it is still sexual exploitation. Moreover, these predators work covertly and cleverly; the path to justice is difficult. All university policy forbids it, totally.
Some suggest that the path to justice should start with academic measures, not directly with criminal sexual charges.
Universities respond more freely when the complaint is framed as, ‘academic victimisation’, instead of ‘sexual harassment’ because:
- It is easier to prove.
- It does not require describing sexual acts.
- The girl/boy feels safer.
- The process does not traumatise the student.
- University senior administrators act faster because academic corruption damages the institution’s reputation.
Re-marking or reassessment is one solution
Many readers of this article might immediately point out the fact that most, if not all, universities give students the right to request a remark or reassessment on any paper they wrote. This is very true, but this choice is not as easy as it may appear.
The truth is that the remark cannot always go as the student wishes and the student’s life can become a living nightmare after that process. The attitude of the lecturer towards the student may become even more hostile.
I remembered yet another story I had heard from one of my relatives, who happens to be a female lecturer at one of our universities. She, on the other hand, was asked to re-mark a paper of a female student. This student had the knowledge and the courage to request a remark. She knew that it was the right of every student and she dared to request it.
My relative, the lecturer, says she was shocked when she marked the paper using the answer sheet from her male colleague, to find that the student had, in fact, passed the exams, which her male colleague had given a failing 23 per cent mark. Fortunately, this particular lecturer was suspended, not particularly for this matter but for other misdeeds. She had not realised that this victimisation was happening at the institution.
Global sexual abuse cases by professors
Jorge Domínguez was a Harvard University Professor, who was accused of sexually harassing at least 18 female students and faculty members for more than 20 years.
Despite repeated complaints to the university, Domínguez remained employed by the university and received a promotion. Since the university took no action, it was up to the students to warn each other about his behaviour. Some students even changed the focus of their research projects to avoid interactions with Domínguez. Complaints included unwanted love proposals, kissing and touching and even talk of rape. In 2018, he was placed on administrative leave and soon after resigned in disgrace. Legal lawsuits follow him to this day.
It all starts in the mind
Many people in positions of power tend to forget that the situation will not always be the same. That young lady you are educating will one day be in a position of power. How then will you be able to proudly stand and say you educated her, if you know the sexual abuse you put her through?
All such men are unable to control their thoughts. Their body follows, but first it’s the mind that loses control. Some thoughts must never be entertained, from the second they enter the mind. The moment they are allowed to grow, they take root and the devil nurtures them to maturity in the mind. The main goal is to destroy any good lecturer or professor and all the work that they have done as an academic. They need to be kicked out of the mind the second they come, no compromise. This requires strength, resolve and strong principles because some students can also seduce good lecturers too.
If that lecturer or professor is not able to control his thoughts about young ladies, who are the same age as his own daughters, then he is most likely abusing some members of his own family, too.
Whatever the case, men like this are a menace to society. The Ministry of Education and Training and relevant stakeholders must launch a hotline urgently. As a father with four daughters, I would love to help stop this scourge. Comment: septembereswatini@gmail.com
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