Investigating Perceived Sexual Harassment of Female Interns in the Media Industry in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana: A Study of Some Selected Media Houses in Accra

Abstract

The media industry in collaboration with academia has identified internships as an essential and inevitable bridge between these two worlds traversed by students in their academic and career pursuits. Unfortunately, Ghana’s rapidly growing media landscape like several other industries has come to be known for occupational hazards cardinal among which is sexual harassment. This appears to expose especially, interns to the vagaries and hazards of the work environment, female interns being the most vulnerable of this target group. This study which surveyed 100 females who had offered internships over the past ten years adopted a five-part survey questionnaire to establish the veracity of perceived sexual harassment directed at female interns; and how they perceived the orientation of the media industry in dealing with such incidents brought to its attention. Findings revealed that the interns suffered unwanted demands for sexual favors, others were presented incentives to lure them give in, whereas some were threatened for not being sexually corporative. Further findings revealed other sexual offences including unwanted touching; receiving or being shown materials of a sexual nature and persistently being drawn into discussions about their sex lives. It concludes that the media had rather uncomplimentary appraisals from female interns with many disagreeing that the media is a safe working environment for their kind. Thus, for fear of repercussions, the victims never lodged official complaints and this is due to lack of confidence in the media houses, in addressing their concerns. It recommends that the media managers and regulators of the media industry should be cognizant of human right abuses of sexual exploitation against aspiring media personnel offering internships in their institutions. Also, it recommends that the media industry should draw wide stakeholder support to create a sanitized and safe working environment which rejects and sanctions such inordinate conducts.