Study: Sexual abuse on flower farms persists

Sexual harassment on Ugandan flower farms has persisted despite a campaign to stem it since 2005, a new study reveals. And the reasons for the persistence of the vice include: protection of the abusers by management; it is considered normal; light punishment of offenders; management undermining workers women’s committees and outright malice by HIV infected offenders who want to spread the virus.

The study which was carried out by the Uganda Workers’ Education Association (UWEA) is the third on sexual harassment on flower farms. It indicates that the harassment has gone down but is still very high.

The results of the study were disseminated by UWEA Programme Officer, Flavia Amoding Okot on Thursday at a half-day workshop of stakeholders at the Hotel Triangle in Kampala.

Some of the respondents interviewed blamed the persistence of the vice on women’s poor dress code, drug abuse by some of the abusers, workers thinking that the harassment is normal, low salaries which make the women vulnerable to accept small favours.

Source: newvision.co.ug