Experiences of Sexual Harassment among Rural School Going Adolescent Girls:Location of Occurrence and Emotional Reactions

The present study to identity the location of occurrence of sexual harassment among rural school going adolescent girls and emotional reactions expressed by them on being sexually harassed was taken up in one block of Ludhiana district of Punjab state. The sample consisted of 200 respondents who were in the age range of 16-18 years and the data were collected using a self-structured questionnaire relating to various aspects of sexual harassment. Adolescents (80.22%) reported to be sexually harassed in the village fairs followed by market (79.66%), public transport (74.01%), on the way to school (70.05%), roadside (69.49%) and recess time (55.93%). Statistically also highly significant age differences were found among the adolescents with respect to sports day, classroom and bus stop. Majority of the adolescents (81.35%) got aggressive on being sexually harassed followed by feeling uncomfortable (72.31%), traumatized (53.10%) and confused (30.50%). Some of the adolescents also felt humiliated (25.98%). Statistically also highly significant age differences were found among the adolescents on the reactions of being humiliated and traumatized.