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THE OBJECTIVE OF CASH

the laws on sexual harassment

• The Supreme Court, which regards sexual harassment as a violation of human rights and as a form of systematic discrimination against women, has issued guidelines to prevent, as well as punish, perpetrators of sexual harassment.

• It is legally mandatory for employers and administrators to deploy measures for combating and redressing incidents of sexual harassment in their organizations.

• The committee is set up in the Supreme Court to deal with instances of sexual harassment within its precincts has decided that aggrieved women can send their complaints to it by post or email. "The aggrieved women as defined in clause 2(a) of the Gender Sensitization and Sexual Harassment of Women at the Supreme Court of India (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Regulations, 2013 may make a complaint in writing of sexual harassment at Supreme Court of India precincts to the GSICC through its Member Secretary - Rachna Gupta, Registrar," the circular reads, adding it has been done to sensitize the general public on gender issues. 
  It said the first meeting of the committee was held on December 9, 2013 to workout the modalities for the effective implementation of "The Gender Sensitization and Sexual Harassment of Women at the Supreme Court of India (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Regulations, 2013" and to take decision on related issues.

sexual harassment is defined

According to the Supreme Court, sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexually determined behaviour such as:

• Physical contact, gestures, or stalking

• A demand or request for sexual favors

• Sexually oriented remarks

• Showing pornography

• Use of electronic media (phone, internet, intranet) for perpetrating any of the above

• Any other unwelcome physical, verbal, or non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature

The following is also sexual harassment and is covered by the committee:

• Eve-teasing

• Unsavoury remarks

• Jokes causing or likely to cause awkwardness or embarrassment

• Innuendos and taunts

• Gender based insults or sexist remarks

• Unwelcome sexual overtone in any manner such as over telephone (obnoxious telephone calls)

• Touching or brushing against any part of the body

• Displaying pornographic or other offensive or derogatory pictures cartoons, pamphlets or sayings

• Forcible physical touch or molestation and

• Physical confinement against one's will and any other act likely to violate one's privacy.

It is important to note here that what constitutes sexual harassment is defined by the victim, and not by the perpetrator. Sexual harassment could be difficult to identify due to prevailing and pervasive myths such as:

• decently dressed women are not sexually harassed

• women who object to sexual harassment are over-reacting

• women keep quiet when harassed because they like eve-teasing, and sexist attitudes such as provocatively dressed women ask to be sexually harassed and have no right to complain.

The above instances are examples of further victimizing and traumatizing victims of sexual harassment.

Attempts to influence/intimidate by linking professional advancement with sexual favours, or creating a hostile work environment through (for instance) sexually coloured conversations, letters, telephone calls and text messages, or making demeaning comments about women's roles in society are all cases of sexual harassment.

In short, the definition of sexual harassment is broad enough to include all kinds of offensive, hostile, intimidating, humiliating and exploitative language, gestures and conduct.

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