Table 3 Examples of Gender Harassment with Unwanted Sexual Advances and Reprisals [From Female Health Worker FGDs]

“Provoking you. Calling you unqualified when you refuse sexual advances… So, words spoken- telling you how you are sexual, how you are not using your endowment, how you are not exploiting yourself for higher offices, abusing you, you are ugly that’s why you have nobody loving you.”

“You are told how beautiful you are. Like that name calling- sweetheart, honey, Virgin Mary- an older woman wonders why someone calls her a Virgin Mary, because we have not seen you sleep around! You are told how you are “magulu gaamu” (meaning have glue between your legs, can’t give in for sex)—we wonder who sleeps with you, you refuse giving us.”

“And also making comments about the lady—he makes a pass at the lady, but she responds in a negative way, so he starts making negative comments about her body to belittle her, to annoy her.”

And intimidating words, someone comes and tells you …you think your husband is faithful to you?”

“Using vulgar words which are not good for our mouth to pronounce.”

“He became hostile to such an extent that they could not go to his ward.”