Polytechnic female students say enough on ‘sex for grades’

Female polytechnic students of the University of Malawi have ganged up to say enough on sexual abuse by setting up a platform on which to report the abuses by both lecturers and male students.

Fanny Soko, a representative of the students said the  ‘denounce the harasser’ platform has now been created because of increased incidents of sexual abuse in University of Malawi constituent colleges.

She said iit ams to maximise individual and collective efforts to fight sexual harassment by bringing together the real and virtual worlds.

“Apart from this platform, we have written university authorities to address the sexual abuse issues reported in colleges,” she said.

This comes barely a week after male students allegedly gang raped a drunk female student at Chancellor College and polytechnic suspended its dean of students over sexual abuse allegations.

The ‘sex for grades’ scandal has reignited concerns about sexual harassment in Malawi universities

Women rights campaigner, Young Women Rise programs coordinator Ethel Mkandawire says most victims of sexual abuse fail to report their abuses due to lack of platforms.