Lecturers risk 5-year-jail term for sexual advances, as Senate passes bill

University of Lagos

The Senate on Thursday passed a bill to outlaw sexual advances from lecturers to students of tertiary institutions in the country.
Any lecturer found guilty to have broken the law, when passed, will risk a maximum five-year jail term or N5m fine or both.
The Senate also abolished the “consent” defence claim by sexual assault and rape suspects, as contained in the Criminal and Penal Codes.

The bill provides that, “An educator shall be guilty of committing an offence of sexual harassment against a student, if he or she has sexual intercourse with a student who is less than 18 years of age, an imbecile or of generally low mental capacity or blind or deaf or otherwise physically challenged.”
It also categorises it as an offence when such person “has sexual intercourse with a student or demands for sex from a student or a prospective student as a condition to giving of a passing grade or the granting of honours and scholarships, or payment of stipend, allowance or other benefits, privileges or considerations.”
The bill further states, “An educator shall be guilty of committing an offence of sexual harassment against a student if he or she solicits sex from or makes sexual advances towards a student when the sexual solicitation or sexual advances result in an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment for the student.
“Or directs or induces another person to commit any act of sexual harassment under this bill, or cooperates in the commission of sexual harassment by another person without which it would not have been committed; grabs or hug or rubs or strokes or touches or pinches the breasts or hair or lips or buttocks or any other sensual part of the body of a student.
“Or displays, gives or sends by hand or courier or electronic or any other means naked or sexually explicit pictures or videos or sex related objects to a student.
“Or whistles or winks at a student or scream or exclaims or jokes or makes sexual complimentary or uncomplimentary remarks about a student’s physique.”