The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace

Sexual Harassment or or ल!$गक छळ in Marathi or यौन उ-पीड़न in Hindiis a subject that requiresa lot of understanding in the Indian context. Organisations need to sensitise the workforce to this aspect of relationships. India is the land of the Ramayana and Mahabharata, both epics that have central issues pertaining to how women have been treated and in fact pertain to rectification of the wrong committed, which involved a major battle to avenge the wrong. So the law on sexual harassment is not new to those who are familiar with the Indian ethos.

 Present Situation

• By and Large Cases of Sexual Harassment that occur at work place do not get reported by the complainant for fear of perceived social stigma.
• In most cases the respondent denies the charges of the complainant.
• Organizations need to respond quickly and also handle such complaints and problems with speed and élan. In many cases, counselling and support to the victimby the female members of the committee helps and they can assess the case and dvise on merits.

Implications of the New Act

•  Sensitising the male workforce to the legal aspects and dimensions emerging from the Act with serious consequences to actions, that may have been prevalent earlier and not uncommon.
• Overcoming some traditional mindsets and beliefs or more precisely assumptions for example a M.C. comment

“When a woman says ‘No’, she actually means ‘Yes’”. “Women, who traditionally did not take notice or press for written complaints, will now because of the Act and developments respond and this will alter the existing paradigm for the better or worse depending on whether you are a male or a female.”

Challenges for the organisation.

•  The Law creates an environment where women know their rights and can take the organisation to task if it is found wanting to Act on complaints of Sexual Harassment.
• A reluctance to complain and come into the Challenges for the organisation. limelight is still a formidable barrier to overcome and inspite of the Act, in the Indian society, a lady who complains cannot take support from her family, colleagues at work or society for granted. The need to go through a formal process is also intimidating.

Facilitator

Dr. R. Krishna Murthy,

an expert with over three and half decades of experience in the field of industrial relations and heading S.R. Mohan Das and Associates and Director of the Industrial Relations Institute of India will lead the Workshop deliberations and with live caselets and situation study empower the line managers in becoming a catalyst for change in the organisations.