By: Minya Tufail, Asstt. Bureau Chief, ICN J&K
At the beginning let me explain what is Sexual Harassment. As per Sexual harassment Act, Feb 2013, the following may amount to sexual harassment:
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Implied or explicit promise of preferential treatment in employment of women
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Implied or explicit threat of detrimental treatment in employment of women
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Interference with work or creating an intimidating or offensive or hostile work environment for women
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Humiliating treatment likely to affect health or safety of women
Sexual Harassment includes:
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Physical contact
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Demand or request for sexual favors
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Sexually colored remarks
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Showing pornography
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Any other unwelcome physical verbal or non verbal conduct of a sexual nature
“During my early kindergarten days one sentence was very common to hear in class rooms, Shhhh! Finger on your lips; offended teacher to the students. After attaining maturity I realized that this sentence was in real life for fair sex alone nothing as such for men”, quoted by a female friend of mine. During in-depth conversation with her, she out of rage and helplessness candidly spoke about few realities that I was forced by my conscience to pick up my notebook & pen down the same for ICN National.
Working in a reputed organization of valley she has experienced a havoc of incidents which is an eye opener for those Administrative higher ups who remain glued to their chairs and their sense of perceptions shut to the outer world.
In India, much hyped slogan is about women empowerment, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao – the slogan of New India. Does this slogan is mere a slogan or a real empowerment punch line for women of the country. On one side we do talk very high about women and work towards their better future and growth but on the other side has our Govts succeeded in providing a safe secure work place and culture for them? When our Beti’s are harassed at work places for one or other reasons then what is the need to educate them. Lesser education means lesser expectations and consequently smaller will be the dreams carved by them. We pledge to provide them wings to fly but if such wings chafe and scar their self esteem then choice remains to stay on ground.
Our offices including govt/private are flooded with women, but on the other side a single mischievous male is enough to disturb the sanctity of that place and cause mental agony to the female counterparts. Sexism, bullying and negative male dominance is a commonly observed scenario which makes our women to remain silent and not to speak about the issue. Therefore majority of the issues related to sexual harassment remain unreported. Reaction from a woman is rated as her arrogance, narrator is a rebellion and direct confrontation with male colleagues is always being treated as shameful act. Such women are openly dragged into controversial issues and responsibility always fixed on their head.
Irony is that even the female counterparts or colleagues don’t hesitate in joining the brigade of criticism. The reason being our upbringing in such an atmosphere where the mind is constantly fed and grown by thoughts of male superiority and chauvinism by the elder generations.
There is lot to be spoken and written but there is no one to take cognizance.
Here I want to add that in her office few male colleagues of theirs have an innovative way to suppress their females. Few of them are dirty sycophants of Administration where they take advantage of their rapport building with officers and make their female colleagues to bend before their filthy advances. Whosoever confronts is taken up for a task. The confronting female will be assigned the toughest and vulnerable jobs by their male officers as a result of poisoning the ears of bosses. If an officer is conveyed of the problem the reply she receives is “leave the job”.
These acts are done by those people who want to control their female counterparts as if they have every right to owe them. The irony is that those dumb officers fall prey to the conspiracy of these sycophant parasites. The influence of these beasts in power corridors of Administration is so high that they can sweep all the troubles for them aside and make others suffer for their sins. Nobody on earth can complain against them. “Once I tried to convince my officer for an incident of harassment by a male colleague of mine, but he avoided me by saying “Give me in writing”. I wondered “how can I write such things for which I have no witnesses”; narrated by her. Submission in writing means framing of inquiry committee and consequently the committee will ask for witnesses as usual. Can anyone rule out the fact that while committing such offences the cunning criminal will never keep any witness or evidence.
I repeat again the debate here is never on rape or molestation. Psychology has proven that men carrying such mentality are actually mentally sick who seek pleasure even by talking obscenity or even touching a female which gratifies their filthy desires. Does our society consider this a sexual harassment or ignore the issue by saying it is nothing serious could be forgiven? Most of the women usually don’t take such issues very seriously due to ignorance or shying away from being criticized. Women ought to know that people carrying wrong intentions in their minds wait for a proper time and a safe secure place to execute their plans for fulfillment of their desires. Therefore to be vigilant and careful is the only option left for women who are vulnerable. The higher ups can’t shrug off their responsibilities by becoming insensitive towards such sensitive issues then and only we have a right to talk about gender equality.
Competent officers can always judge the ability of their subordinates themselves why to rely on pimps who only can bring shame and dishonor to organizations. The expectations of a woman and her perspective to observe the world and work at par with men can never be ignored. Every woman has a right to live and work with honor and dignity without hurting her self-esteem. Time and again it has been proven that women in no way lag behind the males whether in competence or intellect. Therefore why she is being bullied tagged with statements of sexism?
Do women every moment need to be up in arms against men, do they need to give proof of their competence every now and then.
Only one weapon which can save such men from face palming is of religious sermons and remains undebatable. Ideally such mentality makes such men to propagate pseudo religious ideology which as per them does not permit a female to work and to mingle with males at workplaces. But no one can challenge them and ask them whether their religion permits them to talk obscenity, have lustful desires for their female colleagues and bully them.
