Sexual Harassment at Workplace

Friday Morning 1000 hrs at her office
She walks in to find a beautiful bunch of fresh Red Roses on her desk, with a note attached. The note read- "We did it! We got that account. Lets meet at 5 pm, my office, to talk about that appraisal of yours". The note was from her supervisor, two levels up. She is excited about clinching that account; after all that hard work and late hours she had put in. And the thought of a possible promotion was heady. She couldn't wait for 5pm to come.

Friday Evening 1700 hrs at his office
She walks in to his cabin, all charged up and smiling. She has prepared her appraisal papers well. She has all the details of her accomplishments for the year on neat printed sheets. Her boss leans back on his chair, and asks her to come sit next to him, and press his head. "We could chat about that promotion, when we are more comfortable", he says.

Sounds familiar? Most working women, at some time or the other, have faced situations like these, where a chance remark or a subtle comment, is made in a suggestive manner. Sometimes it's the words, and at times the tone it is uttered in, that tell her that this particular message is different. Sometimes it may be overt sometimes very subtle. It may be jokes that are cracked in her presence that make her uncomfortable because of an innuendo that she senses. Sometimes though it is quite open and blatant. It might be an invitation to dinner from a married boss or colleague and might sound innocent enough and might even make you wonder what could go wrong. Sometimes they may be isolated incidents but most times sexual harassment would typically be repetitive and sustained over a long period of time.

What constitutes Sexual harassment though?
Anything said, or done or shown to an employee, that makes the person 'feel 'uncomfortable, may come under this purview. So how does one define what constitutes sexual harassment? The Supreme Court of India has defined Sexual Harassment as follows;

"Sexual harassment includes such unwelcome sexually determined behavior (whether directly or by implication), as -

• Physical contact and advances
• A demand or request for sexual favors
• Sexually colored remarks (innuendos, jokes)
• Showing pornography

And any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature." (Supreme Court of India Guidelines on Sexual Harassment, August 1997). The critical factor to keep in mind here is the "unwelcomeness" of the said behavior. Thus importantly, it is the "Impact" of the behavior on the recipient, rather than the "Intent" of the perpetrator that will be considered.

The main problem though, in 'proving' a Sexual Harassment case is that it challenges the typified Indian women behaviour. "She's saying no, but she really means yes" - is how a woman's image is continuously reinforced. Men are "expected" to make the first moves, and women are supposed to "like" this attention. And somewhere along the way, the idea has been generated that women who are beautiful, westernized, wear smart clothes, are single or are divorced are perceived to "ask for it", or "invite it". It's also a myth that men cannot be sexually harassed. In fact it exists in most corporate environments, though to a much lesser degree than women. It is important here that we question our own perceptions on the issue of harassment, before we can bring about any change!

Especially in a workplace scenario, where does being flirtatious, funny or friendly end and sexual harassment or sexism begin? And how does a woman say no when she is afraid - of retaliation, of losing her job or promotions, or of ruining her reputation. Or say no when she is just plain not interested - but has been conditioned to be submissive and accepting of what has come to be considered normal male behaviour? Sexual harassment on the job is not only about sex; it's about unwanted, abusive behavior -- usually repeated. The most pernicious myth about sexual harassment then, is that it's just "normal male flirting" and women are being over-sensitive. Often even when sexual harassment is accepted as an offense, it is seen as a "personal problem" - i.e., a problem between the two individuals involved. If anything, it is the woman's problem in not being able to maturely handle the situation. The reality is that it is also an employer problem because of the costs of sexual harassment to employers-in terms of low self-esteem, or of absenteeism, low productivity, employee retention, or even legal fees and claims to victims in the case of lawsuits.

The impact of Sexual Harassment on Women can be quite traumatic.
No woman can be emotionally "indifferent" to it. The survey of a Gender Study Group shows that most women felt disgusted, insulted and scared by any sort of harassment. Often what also happens is that women internalize male perceptions of sexual harassment and blame themselves for having brought on the harassment. They not only doubt the validity of their own experiences but also begin to believe that they themselves must be 'abnormal', 'cheap', 'indecent' or deserving the harassment that comes their way. Many feel extreme anger, frustration and helplessness at not being able to do anything about the harassment. Many women having faced this behaviour say that they find it difficult to trust or have friendships with men. Some women are able to handle it by being aggressive but most women encountering sexual harassment at work, take the easy way out and quit their jobs. (Only to find that it exists everywhere). And forced by the circumstances over which they have no control, they become bitter.

So what does an employee do if faced with an unpleasant situation like this?
Seek help. Most companies have a strict anti-harassment policy. Details about it are probably on your company intranet. This committee will most probably have members of both genders, so you can choose to speak to someone with whom you are more comfortable. You could always contact the HR department who can give you more information.

Remember that by acting, you will not only protect yourself but will also help prevent others from having to go through the same trauma.