Opinion | Hong Kong’s universities have a sexual harassment problem, but don’t blame young people
- Alfred Chan Cheung-ming says after a recent survey revealed widespread harassment among students, it would be easy to point the finger at the younger generation. But the issue runs deeper, and a lack of sex education in our schools is a major factor
For sure, scandals about risqué games during orientation camps break out every now and again, but not until now were we able to paint a full picture of the problem. Our territory-wide study covered nine universities, collected 14,442 questionnaires and engaged 28 students in one-on-one, in-depth interviews, along with university representatives via a focus group discussion.
While harassment usually took the form of sexual jokes or comments directed at the respondent (34.7 per cent) or at others in the respondent’s presence (38 per cent), it could escalate to inappropriate physical contact (20.2 per cent), sexually suggestive games (15.2 per cent), or even repeated sexual advances despite rejection (5.1 per cent).
But let me say from the outset that there is no point in chewing out young people for not keeping their urges in check. For one thing, among those harassed on campus, 4.4 per cent said the perpetrators were professors, lecturers or tutors, with another 4.4 per cent pointing to non-academic staff. These numbers may not be striking, but the blatant abuse of power is appalling.
All students desire good grades, which makes it all the more difficult to fend off advances from someone armed with the weaponry to influence their academic and career prospects. The implied message that one must succumb to unwelcome sexual demands to get ahead in life is no less disturbing and carries far-reaching implications. In the words of one interviewee – who had been told to show more skin if she wanted a higher score – “What about in the workplace … am I supposed to sleep with someone?”