Steps to Prevent Sexual Harassment

Steps to Prevent Sexual Harassment: A change in the attitude of people is a basic requirement for implementing any law in the society for women. This implementation of laws leads to protection against undesired sexual behaviour. The following steps may be taken for preventing sexual harassment at workplace:

• There should be well set up complaint channel which is in direct communication with the women employee.
• The complaint committee should take all complaints very seriously and appropriate action must be taken within reasonable time.
• Women workers’ should not fear in talking about any harassment and it should be immediately brought to notice of the complaint committee.
• It is the duty of the complaint committee to keep every complaint confidential.
• Every organisation should conduct sexual harassment awareness training.
• A commitment is required from all levels of the organisation for the positive implementation of the policies and procedures made against sexual harassment.
• Every employee should understand that it is his legal duty to provide every women employee a sense of security in workplace.
• The employer should understand that any kind of harassment on women employee will result in detrimental effects on her health, confidence and her potential at work which also results in her leaving the job.
• Women should be motivated against sexual harassment and they should be asked to complaint about it if they think that it is harming them in any manner and they should make them realize that their complaints will not be subjected to ridicule or any kind of threat.
• The committee should never be biased in dealing with certain individuals of the organisation.

By Employer: Steps to Prevent Sexual Harassment

Most women themselves fail to recognize sexual harassment and treat it as trivial and routine. Such has been the internal coping mechanism. Ignoring offensive behaviour or denying its existence is the most common way women deal with sexual harassment.

Dealing with the Harasser upfront:

• Do the unexpected: Name the behaviour. Whatever he’s just done, say it, and be specific.
• Hold the harasser accountable for his actions. Don’t make excuses for him; don’t pretend it didn’t really happen. Take charge of the encounter and let people know what he did. Privacy protects harassers, but visibility undermines them.
• Make honest, direct statements. Speak the truth (no threats, no insults, no obscenities, no appeasing verbal fluff and padding). Be serious, straightforward, and blunt.
• Demand that the harassment stop.
• Make it clear that all women have the right to be free from sexual harassment. Objecting to harassment is a matter of principle.
• Stick to your own agenda. Don’t respond to the harasser’s excuses or diversionary tactics.
• His behaviour is the issue. Say what you have to say, and repeat it if he persists.
• Reinforce your statements with strong, self-respecting body language: eye contact, head up, shoulders back, a strong, serious stance. Don’t smile. Timid, submissive body language will undermine your message.
• Respond at the appropriate level. Use a combined verbal and physical response to physical harassment.
• End the interaction on your own terms, with a strong closing statement: ‘You heard me. Stop harassing women’.

Speaking out: Speaking about sexual harassment is an effective tool in combating it. While speaking about it, the problem becomes visible, it is acknowledged that it exists, and this in turn leads one to take effective measures against it. Speaking about sexual harassment also gives an opportunity to clarify this about it. It helps in changing the attitudes of people towards this issue. Speaking about it creates an enabling environment for the victim to speak out.

Speak up at the time: Be sure to say “NO” clearly, firmly and without smiling as that is the best way to let the harasser know that his behaviour is offensive. Objecting to the behaviour when it occurs helps if you decide to file charges later.

Keep records: Keep track of what happens in a journal or diary and keep any letters or notes or other documents you receive. Write down the dates, times, places, and an account of what happened. Write down the names of any witnesses. Write a letter. People have successfully stopped sexual harassment by writing a letter detailing the behavior that is offensive and asking the person who is harassing them to stop the behaviour. The letter should be polite, unemotional, and detailed. Such a letter seems to be more powerful than a verbal request. The recipient of the letter seldom writes back; the person usually just stops the behaviour.

Set your own boundaries: Say “NO” emphatically and clearly when you are asked to go places, do things, respond to questions, or engage in situations that make you uncomfortable. Do not worry about offending the other person or hurting his or her ego. Take care of yourself first.

Be aware of situations and people who may harm you: Don’t ignore other’s warnings about particular people or social settings. Acknowledge their concern for you and for themselves.

Trust your own instincts about possible danger: In an uncomfortable situation, be direct and honest, and remove yourself from the situation immediately. Regardless of your previous behaviour or signals you may have given earlier, you have the absolute right to halt any sexual exchange at any time. Accept this right and act on it.

Tell someone: Being quiet or stoic about sexual harassment lets it continue. Talk to other co-workers; you may not be the only one harassed by this person. Do not blame yourself and do not delay.

Create a Witness to the behavior: Inform a trusted colleague and try to ensure that s/he is an eye or ear witness to a situation where you are being sexually harassed. This will be useful later if you chose to file a formal complaint. Send a copy of the sexual harassment policy/rules to the harasser. If your workplace already has an anti-sexual harassment policy or the conduct rules of your institution prohibit sexual harassment, send a copy of the institution policy/conduct rules to the harasser with the appropriate sections underlined.

Talk to a union: If you are a member of a labor union, talk to your union representative.

Get a medical check-up: If you have been raped or physically assaulted, go for a medical check-up. Obtain a medical report. This is important, should you decide to pursue a legal case.

Report sexual harassment to the appropriate person in the organization: Explore the different avenues available to you and file a formal complaint if necessary. If your organization does not have a policy, ensure that your employer formulates an anti-sexual harassment policy and carries out all the connected tasks

By Colleagues

• Do not disbelieve a woman when she shares about harassment. Remember sexual harassment is ‘unwelcome’ behavior. Do not trivialize the matter.
• Remember that it is difficult to speak about sexual harassment. Hence if a colleague is talking about it, she will require a lot of encouragement and support.
• Read the Vishaka judgment carefully and know your rights.
• Spread the word – let your colleagues know about the issue, its prevalence, and the judgment.
• Support a harassed colleague – remember it could be you tomorrow.
• Encourage the recipient to approach the offending person directly or use other informal resolution methods.
• Offer to accompany the recipient to the offending person, the Complaints Committee to file a formal complaint.
• Take responsibility to see that sexual harassment is stopped and there is no reprisal.
• Approach your employer and push for a redress mechanism / sexual harassment policy, if you do not have one in place already.
• If you do have a mechanism in place, ensure that it complies with the Supreme Court guidelines.
• Contact a non-government organization working on the issue to organize an awareness/training program at your workplace/ to help create a policy for your workplace.

By Trade Unions

There are a number of measures that unions can take to combat sexual harassment. The goal is to make union members sensitive to the problem and to create a climate to discourage sexual harassment and, if it occurs, a climate where victims will feel comfortable turning to the union for assistance. Trade Unions in unorganized sector can play a definite and vital role in helping set up complaints mechanisms and instituting systems/ channels that could provide a forum for recipients of sexual harassment in unorganized sector to complain.

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