Unwanted sexual advances must stop

Bill Cosby, fondly known before as Dr Huxtable in the comedy series The Cosby Show, which has been fairly popular around the world, has fallen terribly from grace. Five months ago, the 81-year-old was convicted of sexual assault, in which he drugged and molested an acquaintance in 2004. The offence is likely to attract 15-30 years of jail time (sentencing had not yet occurred by press time).

Although this case has taken place in USA’s state of Pennsylvania, it has been followed by many, including in Uganda, because of the TV star that Cosby was, and the fatherly role model he was to many people.
This is perhaps one of the reasons people have been aghast at what has transpired; they are shocked that a man who they believed knew better, could hurt so many women in such a way. The bigger issue, however, is that this case has shown that crimes such as sexual assault and sexual harassment are no less significant crimes, regardless of who has committed them.

In a world where many people, both men and women, feel that they can harass someone sexually and get away with it, or where they feel what they do should be acceptable, it is time that that perception is changed.
The Employment (Sexual Harrasment) Regulations, 2012, describes sexual harassment in employment to mean a direct or implicit request to an employee for sexual intercourse, sexual contact or any other form of sexual activity that contains… use of language whether written or spoken of a sexual nature… showing physical behaviour of a sexual nature such as unwanted and unwelcome touching, patting, pinching or any other unsolicited physical contact.

Many people have suffered sexual harassment at the hands of their employers, supervisors or fellow colleagues at the workplace. But such is often regarded as normal. In fact, any type of harassment whether at work or elsewhere is looked at as normal.

The case of the MP Sylvia Rwabwogo, who took Brian Isiko to court over stalking her, is an example that clearly proves this. The MP was within her liberties and rights to take Isiko to court, and the judge convicted Isiko of stalking Rwabogo and sentenced him to two years. Yet there was an uproar and Rwabwogo was told she was overreacting. Isiko later asked for and was granted bail, and again, this is within his rights.

What people need to be made aware of, however, is that any kind of sexual advances, however innocent they might seem, as long as they are unwanted, are wrong, and one can be taken to court for it, regardless of who they are or what they have done. Cosby’s case is testimony to this. And hopefully, even in Uganda, employers will begin to give this issue the seriousness it deserves.