Workshop on Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH)
Report
As an Educational Institution we play a major role towards the Society. It’s our responsibility to educate our staff and students on the Prevention of Sexual Harassment, the Act and its consequences.
The program was organized by the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) to educate our staff and students about the Sexual Harassment at Work place. The session educated the attendees on what is Sexual Harassment and the Sexual Harassment of Women at workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013”. The Resource Person spoke about the difference between sexual harassment and physical abuse, where physical abuse cause pain, injury, physical suffering or harm, whereas sexual harassment is causing mental agony, protection of women against Sexual Harassment at Work place and advised to go through the MHRD Handbook released in 2014 which is updated periodically and can be downloaded for easy reference.
It was told that POSH protects only women and not a gay or transgender, but the act protects not only the employees on campus but also the contract labourers who come to campus, who visit work place or for any official purpose, volunteers, daily wagers, ad hoc employees are covered. She discussed about the action lead to sexual harassment which is done in particular with sexual intent. She made a mention that sexual harassment and sexual abuse are different, but both come under sexual law and are sexual and criminal offence / civil offence. She said that when there is no consent of the person who undergo the harassment or abuse leads to sexual offence. A mention was made about the respondent under section 9 and a need for constitution of Internal Complaints Committee at every organisation by an order in writing.
A discussion was made on who can complain, against whom the complaint can be registered for what kind of sexual acts and the complaint has to be made within 3 months of the last incident happened. Stages for addressing a complaint and conducting the enquiry of the complaint by ICC had a mention. Rights of the respondent and consequences of making a false allegations against the respondent was put across. She quoted examples of the incidents happened related to, made the audience understand Sexual Harassment and how to deal with it.
The session created an awareness amongst the staff and students on Sexual Harassment.