The psychological influence of COVID 19 lockdown on sexual harassment among females in Nigeria

Abstract

This study uses content analysis to explore the psychological influence of “Covid-19 Pandemic lock down” on rising number of sexual harassment cases against females in Nigeria. Literary works on the relationship between “Covid-19 Pandemic lock down” and the rising number of sexual harassment cases across the world were explored to set the study objectives. The theoretical lens for the study hinged on an approach to describing sex typology postulated by Bem (1981). This perspective provided a focus on the basic cognitive processes that appear to underlie sex typing, which enabled the scope of content analysis to be narrowed down to Nigerian society. The study discovered that similar to numerous countries across the globe, Nigeria is not spared from a significant impact of “Covid-19 Pandemic lock down” on the incidence of sexual harassment. The study further discovered
that Nigerian celebrities and females are among the segment of society worst hit by sexual harassment during the lockdown. The study concludes that “Covid-19 Pandemic lock down” has indeed heightened cases of sexual harassment against females in Nigeria and a number of suggestions were explored towards addressing the menace. Recommendations made include the need for Government and Civil Society to partner in the combating the threat of sexual assaults within the social order. Importantly, appropriate budgetary allocation should be made towards a synergy between government and Civil Society against sexual harassment as a social pathology.