Strategies used by Information and Communication Technology tertiary students to deal with sexual harassment during work-related learning period in Zimbabwe

Sexual harassment is a topical issue at workplaces however, there seems to be an apparent dearth of literature about the phenomenon of sexual harassment of women in the Information Technology field in Zimbabwe especially students on work-related learning (WRL). ICT students on WRL are most vulnerable and susceptible to sexual harassment because nature of their duties. Consequently, this qualitative research study sought to identify strategies used to deal with sexual harassment especially coming from the experiences of the IT students on WRL. Data was collected through in-depth interviews from twenty (20) IT university students in Zimbabwe. Data was analysed and key strategies were identified through structural coding and thematic analysis. The findings indicated the following strategies: supervisory support, forming pseudo relationships, avoidance, escort and effective no. Thus, this research contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing empirical study on strategies to deal with sexual harassment based on experiences of the students in developing countries.