@~~~@ Sexual Harassment at Work Places @~~~@

Sexual Harassment is unwelcome acts or behavior (directly or by implication) which

include physical contact and advances; a demand or request for sexual favours , making sexually
coloured remarks, showing pornography, or any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal
conduct of a sexual nature.
Sexual exploitation of women has existed for ages and cuts across societies, rich and poor.
It is only in recent times that modern states have started taking harassment at the work place
seriously, putting in place laws that seek to provide a safer work environment for women.
In 1997, the Supreme Court of India in a PIL, defined Sexual harassment at workplace,
preventive measures and redress mechanism. The judgement is a popularly known as Vishakha
Judgement in April, 2013. India enacted its own law on sexual harassment in the workplace The
sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.
The Act is intended to include all women employees in its ambit including those employed in the
unorganized sector as well as domestic workers.
Thus, women working in both the organised and unorganised sectors are safer now at the
workplace, at least on paper. Why then did the law intern not muster the courage to complain
when she was allegedly harassed by a judge? Why do many women like her suffer in silence most
of them forever? Surely, for every case reported there must be hundreds of cases that go
unreported. Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.
To answer the question, it is important to understand how society perceives a working
woman. Women employed in the unorganised sector and single women are economically
vulnerable. Many of them are not aware of the law. Their male colleagues and employers know
that they cannot risk their livelihood. The plight of women employed in shops, supermarkets,
private schools, hospitals, and as sales girls is no different. If and when the situation becomes
intolerable, they leave their jobs. Those who cannot do so try to remove themselves from the
situation by opting for a transfer, or learn to live with the harassment. Ironically, the threshold
of tolerance increases with need and many women cope by suggesting to themselves that these
are the ways of the world and they have no choice.
In a society where a womans safety is her own responsibility she has been taught
that she must dress modestly so that men are not provoked and ignore lewd comments
sexually coloured remarks or verbal sexual advances are hardly seen as acts of harassment. A
woman who complains is accused of making a mountain out of a molehill.
The social stigma a woman faces when she complains of sexual harassment is immense.
Suddenly, her attire, behaviour and interpersonal relationships come under the scanner. She
becomes a topic of discussion both inside and outside office.
What is the way forward? As a first step, follow the law in letter and in spirit. Employers
should display the provisions of the Act conspicuously; appoint an Internal Committee; conduct
awareness programmes; treat sexual harassment as misconduct under their service rules and
assist women who file a complaint. They should be alive to the reality that in an office where men
and women work, sexual harassment is a possibility and put in place formal and informal
mechanisms to deal with it.