Women’s groups publish handbook on prevention of harrasment

“Ever since I refused to accept my boss’s sexual overtures, he started finding fault with everything I did.,My travel entitlement was delayed, some work would come up when i was about to leave for home... there would always be some problems.”

Many such first-hand experiences found voice in the ‘Prevention of sexual harassment at workplace’, a handbook published by Sangita, an organisation that fights for women’s rights in collaboration with the West Bengal commission for women.

Author Soma Sen Gupta and co-author Aninda Hajra felt the need for such a handbook as several surveys conducted by them revealed that most women were still confused about the range of behaviour that could be deemed as ‘sexual harassment’.

“Initially, most women denied that they were sexually harassed at their workplaces. However, the denial soon changed to acknowledgement,” said Hajra.

While releasing the handbook, Jashodhara Bagchi, chairperson of the West Bengal commission for women said that sexual harassment must be seen in totality and not as isolated incidents.

“Our workplace comes within the purview of the society and not outside it,” she added.

The authors feel that the handbook is meant for everyone at a workplace, be it the employer, the employee or any third party.

The book answers several questions about what constitutes harassment, how can a person draft a harassment complaint to the authorities and the role that complaint committees play in such cases. The book also states that harassment at work places could have harmful effects on women.

In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court on August 13, 1997 had recognised sexual harassment of women at their workplace as a pervasive experience and bought it in the purview of human rights.