SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND CAREER ADVANCEMENT OF FEMALE EMPLOYEES IN THE NIGERIAN BANKING INDUSTRY

Abstract

This paper examined how sexual harassment affect the career advancement of female employees in banking industry. The paper is anchored on Reactance Theory and Learned Helplessness Theory to explain the problem. Qualitative method of In-depth Interview was used to collect information from forty–three (43) respondents that were purposively picked though snowball method. The respondents were sexual harassed victims that were or had worked in banking sector. The information collected was analysed through content analysis using vivo 6 software. The findings revealed that majority of women who had worked and are still working in the banking sector in Nigeria has experienced sexual coercion and unwanted sexual attentions from male counterparts. This study through an In-depth interview establishes the negative outcomes of sexual harassment as distressing to their mental health and detrimental to their advancement in the banking sector one hand, and also revealed the culture of silenced practised by most sexual harassment victims on the other hand to avoid obstruction on their career path and also due to the fear of being labelled as deviant on the other hand. The study recommends that there should be explicit policies that indicate the various forms of sexual harassment, with grievous penalties to support and establish a sexual harassment –free workplace. Keywords: Banking Institutions, Career Advancement, Female Employees, Sexual Harassment, Nigeria