‘My colleague touches my hair, shoulder or hands whenever he comes to my desk for any office related work. He pretends to be unaware of what he has been doing but I know that he has been doing it on purpose’- a female employee at a private firm. Such cases sound so familiar to thousands of working women in India.
Whether it’s Tarun Tejpal of Tehalka, RK Pachauri of TERI, Aniruddh of TVF or an average male employee, women at work place are not at all safe with these Harvey Weinsteins of India. Sexual harassment has become a routine in pretty much every office. Male colleagues take females for granted and in no way consider them equal to their counterparts. Male employees think that females are not talented enough and they need to surrender mentally and physically to climb up the corporate ladder.
iChhori wants every working woman to understand what the sexual harassment at work place is and what protection females can get through The sexual harassment of women at workplace Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal Act 2013.
To understand in simple terms, sexual harassment is unwanted direct or indirect sexual contact, remarks or conduct on part of the male colleagues against their women colleagues at any workplace.
Sexual harassment at workplace includes both physical as well as mental aspects. There have been various cases where the female employee has been tortured for years and she gets so depressed that it becomes extremely difficult for her to come out of it. According to Supreme Court of India, the definition of sexual harassment is-
“Any unwelcome sexually determined behavior (whether directly or by implication) as physical contact and advances, a demand or request for sexual favors, sexually colored remarks, showing pornography or any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature.”
We say that no chhori need to put up with any kind of unwanted or unwelcome behavior of any male employee at office/workplace. Whether the person is your boss or a colleague you need to say ‘NO’ to him in loud and clear voice. If things get out of hand, please use the power of law and it’s your right to do so. iChhori strongly recommends that each female employee must know the details of the sexual harassment act. To read the act in detail please click the kink below-
The sexual harassment of women at workplace Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal Act 2013