Sexual assault is a comprehensive term that encompasses sexual harassment, molestation, and violence. It includes all sexual behaviors towards a person without his or her consent. Sexual harassment is a more specific concept: giving unpleasant, uncomfortable, and humiliating feeling to another person through sexual language or behavior. POSTECH Women’s Student Association conducted a survey on “Sexual assault/Sexual harassment,” using Google Docs. The purpose of the survey was to identify the types and frequency of sexual assaults at POSTECH, as stated in the questionnaire. The survey consisted of a question asking respondent’s gender and three questions asking about experiences of sexual assault and sexual harassment. A final question asked for additional details about any experiences of sexual assault, but was not a mandatory question. The survey began on Jul. 25 and ended on Sep. 23. Seventy Postechians responded, 55 of them (77.1%) were female and 16 (22.9%) were male.
In physical aspect, 36 people (51%) answered they have experienced undesirable physical affection and 34 people (49%) answered they have not. Among 36 people who answered they experienced, 34 people were female and two people were male. In verbal aspect, multiple responses were allowed. Forty-two percent responded they have experienced disparage, and evaluation about their appearance (face, body shape, dress). This seems to be the most common problem. Sexual jokes, or rather dirty jokes, followed with 25 percent. Fourteen percent responded about violations of sexual privacy, for example, asking about one’s first sexual intercourse in public situation. Others responded they have no experience (19%). In other aspects, which was also allowed to select multiple responses, 26 percent answered they have experienced prejudice like forcing stereotypical gender roles, expecting men to do physical works and women to lighten up an atmosphere. Twenty-five percent answered they have experienced willful seating arrangement in drinking parties. Nine percent reported their experiences related to authority. For instance, saying gender of class president should be male and gender of class manager should be female. Eight percent answered sexual displeasure by behaviors such as sending text message involving sexual content, gazing or glancing at a specific body part, or close-ups on specific parts while having a picture taken. Three parts- drinking game that contains sexual content, forced drinking, and being forced to wear skirts in department pubs and dance-garnered seven percent each. Ten percent answered they have not experienced these things.
In conclusion, there is defect that only 70 Postechians responded to the survey. To reduce sexual assault occurred in POSTECH, Postechians have to consider once again before saying some comments to other person. It is important to know pointing out other person’s appearance is also a part of sexual assault. Comments like ‘Please makeup and be pretty in your daily life,’ ‘Why you don’t do plastic surgery,’ or ‘Why you wear like homosexuals’ can be deep wound to others. Efforts in university level is necessarily needed to give assurance to students that counseling center reliably protect student’s personal information and take proper disciplinary action to assailant.