Forms Of Violence Against Female Students In The Jordanian University Environment And Mechanisms Of Confrontation

Abstract

This study explored the forms of violence against female students in the university environment and the mechanisms of confrontation. A questionnaire was used to collect data. The randomly selected sample included 771 female students from various majors and years at Al-Hussein Bin Talal University in Jordan. The results showed that 14% of the students had experienced different forms of violence, with sexual violence being the most common at 38%, including uncomfortable stares, flirtation, and physical contact in crowded places. Additionally, 24% experienced verbal violence, such as hearing obscene words and hurtful comments, and 31% faced phone harassment. Moreover, 141 students (18%) reported long-term stalking, and 58 (8%) were coerced into meetings inside or outside the university. Female students supported using various mechanisms to confront violence against them, ranging from external mechanisms like reporting to the university or family to self-protective mechanisms like silence, ignoring, escaping the place, or wearing loose clothing. Around 32% of the students considered self-defense to be the appropriate mechanism to confront verbal violence, while 24% believed that silence and ignoring were more suitable. Furthermore, 32% considered filing a security complaint the appropriate mechanism to confront sexual violence. No statistically significant differences were found in the mechanisms used by female students to confront violence based on their demographic characteristics.