Institutional Neglect and Sexual Harassment Against Sexual Minority Individuals at a Tertiary Institution in Nigeria
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21975136 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Boladale M Mapayi (0000-0002-0596-2132, Obafemi Awolowo University, corresponding author), Olanrewaju Ibıgbamı (0000-0003-0234-4651, Obafemi Awolowo University), Adesanmi Akinsulore (0000-0001-7611-0458, Obafemi Awolowo University), Michael Akanji (Heartland Alliance), Onyedikachi Joseph Opara (Obafemi Awolowo University), Onyedikachi Opara (Obafemi Awolowo University), Kehinde Joseph Olukokun (Academy for Educational Development), Oluwapelumi Agoke (Centre for Healthy Start Initiative), Olufunmilayo O Banjo (0000-0002-8908-5308, Obafemi Awolowo University), Morenike O Folayan (0000-0002-9008-7730, Obafemi Awolowo University) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 14 |
| Issue | 12 |
| Pages | 682 |
| Publication date | 2025-11-26 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Social Sciences (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2076-0760 • E-ISSN: 2076-0760 |
| Publisher | MDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT) |
| DOI | 10.3390/socsci14120682 |
| OpenAlex | W4416719077 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 23 |
Sexual minorities in Nigeria face systemic discrimination that extends into tertiary institutions, where silence and institutional neglect perpetuate stigma and abuse. This institutional inaction reinforces a culture of impunity and highlights the urgent need to understand the mechanisms through which institutional structures and cultures contribute to the well-being or harm of this vulnerable student population. This qualitative study employed a narrative phenomenological approach to explore the perceptions of policy makers and peer supporters about sexual harassment among sexual minority students in a higher education institution in Nigeria. A purposive sampling technique was used to recruit seven institutional decision-makers on student affairs, and four peer supporters for sexual minority individuals in the institution for in-depth interviews. The analysis revealed a profound disconnect. While the university perceives no problem due to a lack of formal reports, the lived experiences of students point to a cycle of harassment, vulnerability, and institutional betrayal exacerbated by the university’s neglect. The findings expose a cycle where the institution’s chosen method of “seeing” through formal complaints perpetuates epistemic injustice, validating the need for mandatory structural reforms over incremental sensitization to genuinely ensure safety and dignity for all students
Dignity · Harassment · Harm · Institution · Narrative inquiry · Neglect · Nonprobability sampling · Sexual minority · African Sexualities and LGBTQ+ Issues · Religion, Gender, and Enlightenment · Sexual Assault and Victimization Studies
Institutional betrayal.
Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (Coreq)
Transitions Into, and Through, Higher Education
Courage, Honesty, and Evaluation in the Apprehensive University
Navigating shadows
Stifled Screams
Protective factors, campus climate, and health outcomes among sexual minority college students
Homophobic bullying in Nigerian schools
Rethinking Campus Sexual Assault
Using thematic analysis in psychology
Teaching Nigerian Heterosexual University Students About Homophobia, Heterosexual Privilege, Anti-LGB Oppression and the Need to Promote Social Justice and Social Inclusion for LGB Persons
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |