The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says sexual harassment is a corrupt practice that attracts at least seven years of imprisonment.

The commission’s secretary, Clifford Oparaodu, gave the warning in Abuja at a One-Day Sensitisation Workshop on Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Institutions.

Mr Oparaodu said ICPC regarded sexual harassment as a corrupt practice, hence the need for victims to know their rights and how to seek justice.

“Sexual harassment is a form of corruption,” said Mr Oparaodu. “It is a deviation from the norm for an official to use his/her office or position to demand, receive, obtain or attempt to obtain any form of sexual gratification for him to perform  his duties.”

Citing section 2 (f) of the ICPC Act, which states that gratification includes any service or favour of any description, Mr Oparaodu said it was unfortunate that due to the fear of stigmatisation or further victimisation, many targets of such demands find themselves forced to succumb.

“The culture of silence has allowed sexual harassment to thrive, but ICPC is working relentlessly to ensure that with sensitisation and appropriate policy implementation, this culture would gradually change,” he said.

He said ICPC was determined to end the menace and initiated the sexual harassment unit to address the issue of sexual gratification and abuse of office and power by officials.

He explained that the purpose of the workshop was to educate students about how to easily contact the ICPC, report incidents of sexual harassment, and gather evidence in a way that will support the commission’s investigations.

In a paper presented, the deputy director of the Proceeds of Crime Department in ICPC, Adenekan Shogunle, urged participants to regard the fight as a collective one.

Mr Shogunle said that youths should not accept sexual harassment, saying that the menace needed to be stopped to ensure the safety of educational institutions for learning.

The assistant director of the commission’s legal unit, Peace Aroch, in a paper, said sexual harassment had psychological implications, which had to do with the mental or emotional state of the survivor.

(NAN)