SEXUAL HARASSMENT AT

WORKPLACE: AN OVERVIEW

Speaker: Reeta D. Yadav

 COMPONENTS
 Concepts pertaining to Sexual Harassment
 Theories of Sexual harassment
 Workplace-
 Types/forms of Sexual Harassment
 Categories of victims of sexual harassment
 Nature and Trends on sexual harassment
 Causes of sexual harassment
 Consequences of Sexual Harassment
 Coping strategies
 Legal frame work of Sexual Harassment
 Related Organization/Institutions
 INTRODUCTION
 Sexual harassment is an offence that contains numerous intersecting
issues of human rights, gender equality, dignity, health, work
conditions, productivity, freedom to practice and chose one’s
profession, right to livelihood, to name a few, since it impacts on all
these areas.
 If workplaces are not made free of discrimination for women, then a
community is set-back. More importantly, it personalises, silences and
makes invisible, a systemic pattern of violations in the workplace and
puts women at risk. In that sense, the importance of naming and
censuring the problem in law cannot be understated.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HARASSMENT
AND BULLYING

Harassment Bullying
Harassment is an action that Bullying is when one
is meant to or happens to individual, or party, socially
cause discomfort for the degrades the victim either for
victim. the purpose of increasing their
own self-comfort or for the
enjoyment of others.
 HARASSMENT

 Harassment is any improper and unwelcome

conduct or comment by a person which
offends, humiliates, or degrades another
person.
 It can take place in different settings, including
home, place of work, school or via the phone
or the internet. 
 Workplace Psychological
harassment harassment

Types of
Harassment
Racial
harassment Sexual
harassment

Religious
harassment
 WHAT IS SEXUAL HARASSMENT

Any unwelcome sexually determined behaviour such as;

physical contact and advances, sexually colored remarks,
showing pornography and sexual demands, whether by
words or actions. Such conduct can be humiliating and
may constitute a health and safety problem
 Unwelcome sexually determined behaviour such as;

Physical contact and

advances

Sexually colored Sexual Showing

remarks Harassment pornography

Sexual demands , whether

by words or actions
TYPES OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT

SN Types Description

1. Gender
Generalized sexist statements and behavior that convey
Harassment
insulting or degrading attitudes about women. Examples
include insulting remarks, offensive graffiti, obscene
jokes or humor about sex or women in general.

2. Seductive
Unwanted, inappropriate and offensive sexual advances.
Behaviour
Examples include repeated unwanted sexual invitations,
insistent requests for dinner, drinks or dates, persistent
letters, phone calls and other invitations.
CONTINUE..
SN Types Description

3. Sexual
Solicitation of sexual activity or other sex-linked behavior
Bribery
by promise of reward; the proposition may be either overt
or subtle.

4. Sexual
Coercion of sexual activity or other sex-linked behavior by
Coercion
threat of punishment; examples include negative
performance evaluations, withholding of promotions, threat
of termination.

5. Sexual
Gross sexual imposition (such as forceful touching, feeling,
Imposition
grabbing) or sexual assault.
FORMS OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT

Physical

Verbal

Visual
(non verbal)
 PHYSICAL

 Touching
 Unwanted massages
 Patting, caressing, or fondling
 Impeding or blocking movement
 Standing closer than appropriate or necessary for
the work being done, touching or rubbing oneself
sexually around or in view of another person, or
assault.
 VERBAL

 sexual comments, slurs, jokes, or rumors

 Verbal sexual advances, threats /propositions

 Verbal abuse of a sexual nature

 Making sexual comments –clothing/ body/looks

 Sexually degrading words used

 Suggestive/obscene letters, notes/ invitations

 Turning academic discussions into sexual discussions

 Asking sexual fantasies, preferences, or history

 Asking questions about to social or sexual life

 Insulting
 VISUAL

 Leering (looking at someone in sexually

suggestive manner)
 Making suggestive gestures
 Displaying pornography, sexually suggestive pictures,
cartoons, posters or literature
 Having sexually suggestive software on a work or
academic computer
 Suggestive or insulting sounds
 WHO ARE THE VICTIMS?

 Sexual harassment does not affect women alone, as men

can also be victims. However, women are more
vulnerable due to their position in society.
 Most sexual harassment is carried out by men against
women.
 Sexual harassment affects victims regardless of age,
relationship, disability, physical appearance, background
or professional status.
RELATED LITERATURE
 WHO ARE THE HARASSERS
Workplace harassment can be committed by:
 an employer

 worker

 co-worker

 group of co-workers

 client or customer or

 a member of the public

Related literature
Cecilia Ng et al. 2003. reported the category of sexual harassers
in Malaysia comprising those not in direct contract of service
with a workplace, such as company vendors, factory bus
drivers, and subordinates of victims.
RELATED LITERATURE
 HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
 Sexual harassment was first documented in 1908 (Fitzgerald,
et al.1988).
 It was recognised and labelled as problem and the first
research in the area emerged during 1970s (Farley, 1978).
 Sexual harassment is considered both a legal as well as a
psychological phenomenon (Fitzgerald, 1990).
 Documenting the prevalence of sexual harassment has been
one of the first research efforts made in the area. (Fitzgerald,
et. al., 1988).
THEORIES OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT

 According to Webster’s 7th New Collegiate Dictionary

(1970), “Theory is a plausible or scientifically acceptable
general principle or body of principles offered to explain
phenomena.”

Although there are no set theory which alone explains the

phenomena, but five theories widely accepted by the
researchers;
 Organizational
Theory

Sex role spill over Four-factor

Theory Theory
Theories of
Sexual
Harassment

Socio-cultural Natural or Biological

Theory Theory
 NATURAL/BIOLOGICAL THEORY

 Natural/Biological theory postulates that male has more sex drive

than female which are the major cause of sexual harassment.

Related Literature
Tangri et. al., 1982. reported that a stronger male sex drive, and men’s
role as sexual initiator were the causes of sexual harassment.
Hearn et al., 1992. postulated that sexual harassment is all about
sexual differences between males and females so that sexuality
becomes instinctive sexual drives.

Paglia, 1992. also supported this theory, stated that men are in a
constant state of sexual anxiety, living on the pins and needles of
their hormone.
 ORGANIZATIONAL THEORY
 This theory is based on the assumption that power and
status within organization are major cause of sexual
harassment.
 Related Literature:

Tangri et al.,1982. postulated that powerful women may

harass subordinate men, and such occurrence is rare only
because women are employed in subordinate positions.
Cleveland and Krest, 1993. explicated that various kind of
power used in organization are linked to gender and help
explain sexual harassment.
 SEX ROLE SPILL OVER THEORY

This theory is the combination of organizational and socio cultural

theory. When the sex-ratio of an organisation is skewed (the

organisation is either male or female dominated) the sex role of the

dominant gender "spills over" the work role expectations of the job.
 Related literature:

Kanter, 1977. suggested that the proportion of males and females in a

workplace determines sexual harassment.

SEX ROLE SPILL OVER THEORY…..

Related literature:

Gutek and Morasch, 1982. reported that in most cultures gender

identity is more salient than work identity and when in male

domination of work place, women enters, she treated as outsider.

Sheffy and Tindale, 1992. reported that traditionally employed

women surrounded by other women who do the same work are

less likely to report experiencing sexual harassment at work

place.
SOCIO-CULTURAL THEORY

 Tangri et al 1982. socio-cultural theory is characterized

by patriarchal society in which we live.
FOUR-FACTOR THEORY
 WORK PLACE (INDIAN CONSTITUTION)

Government
owned/
controlled Hospitals/
Private sector establishments Nursing
organizations
homes

Workp
Sports
lace Vocational/
institutes, Educational
stadiums, training Institutions
institutions Dwelling place
in case of a
domestic
worker
FORMS OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT AT
WORK PLACE

Quid pro quo

Hostile
environment
 QUID PRO QUO HARASSMENT

Latin word for “compensation”

 The victim is forced to choose between submission to
the sexual demands of a supervisor or the loss of a job or
job benefits
 Demanding dates
 Disciplining or firing a subordinate who ends a romantic
relationship
 Changing performance expectations after a subordinate
refuses dates
 HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT

 The activity complained of is pervasive or severe,

creating an intimidating or abusive workplace
Examples are:
 Certain sexist remarks
 Display of pornography or sexist/obscene graffiti,
 Physical contact/brushing against female employees
Ashraf, 1997. reported that indecent remarks, singing
obscene songs, hitting, touching or pinching in crowded
places, snatching dupatta and in some cases even forced
kissing, mailing anonymous love letters and exhibiting
male genital in front of women.
RELATED LITERATURE

Benson & Thomson, 1982. Reported that 20% of the women had
been harassed by a male instructor at the university of Berkeley
while 20% of transfer students reported such experiences at their
former schools.
Gruber and Bjorn,1982. found that a substantial number of
women(25-75%) in work setting ranging from traditional
(nursing) to non traditional (the automobile industry) subjected to
harassment.
Philips and Schneider,1993. More than three quarters of (77%)
physician were harassed by their patients.
RL UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

 Reilly, et al. 1986. Thirty percent of the women reported suggestive looks
or gestures on the job from male staff, and 10% from male faculty. Nearly
22% reported sexual teasing from male staff, about 8% from male
graduate assistants, and almost 13% from male faculty. And male staff
was reported to engage in deliberate touching by 11% of the female
respondents while pressure for social contact from them was cited by
almost 8% of the women. The behavior experienced most often by males
was unwanted sexual teasing or jokes by female staff, reported by almost
7% of the men.
TRENDS OF SH (UNITED STATES)
Dunwoody-Miller and Gutek (1985) found that 20 percent of California State

civil service employees reported being sexually harassed at work in the

previous 5 years from the date of the research.

Aggarwal, 1992. reported that US Federal Government employees that 42 %

of women and 15 % of men were victims of overt sexual harassment in the

last two years.

McKinney, 1990. in a study of academic faculty found that 14 % of both male

and female faculty members reported sexual harassment by other members

of faculty, and another 20 % reported being sexually harassed by Students.

USMSPB, 1994. In a large scale survey of 13,200 male
and female Federal Government workers in the United
States found that 44 % of women and 19% of men
reported sexual harassment.

Tengku Omar & Maimunah, 2000. reported that 85% of

female lawyers and 78% of male lawyers had
experienced one form of sexual harassment.
Cummings & Armenta, 2002. A report published by the

American Association of University Women Educational

Foundation (AAUW) on a national survey of 2,064

public school students found that 83% of girls compared

to 79% of boys reported having experienced sexual

harassment.
 EUROPE
Dunwoody-Miller & Gutek, 1985. In United Kingdom, over 9,000 women
responded to a survey on sexual harassment More than 92% of these
respondents reported that they perceived sexual harassment as a problem
whereby 9-10% respondents reported that they had personally experienced
one or more forms of unwanted sexual attention at the workplace.

Husbands, 1992. In a study at Le Point, France found that 48 percent of the

respondents did not find a supervisor who invites a female staff who wants a
promotion, for a weekend out as an act that reflects sexual harassment.
Twenty percent of the female respondents did not label the superior‟s
behaviour as sexual harassment if he invites female to pose nude to get a job.
Earle & Madek, 1993. In Germany, a poll carried out in 1990 in
Frankfurt found that 25 percent out of 9,000 women surveyed
reported sexual harassment. Another survey in 1992 disclosed
that two thirds of women reported being regularly harassed, but
nearly 50 percent of their male colleagues did not think their
behaviour was offensive.

Brown, 1998. in a study of women police officers in England and

Wales found that 70 % of women police officers experienced
some form of sexual harassment at least once, while 44 % of
these experienced harassment more than once.
Heiskanen & Piispa, 1998. Finland, a nationally
representive Women‟s Safety study reported that 19.6%
of women experienced a range of harassment behaviours
over a one year period.

Sabbadini, 1998. In Italy, 24.4% of women between the

ages of 14 and 59 reported at least one type of sexual
harassment in the last three years.
Jaspard, 2001. In a French National Survey on Violence
Against Women, which asked about the incidents both at
work and in public areas occurring in the last year, 15%
of the women reported some form of harassment.

Ilies et al. 2003. reported that sexual harassment was found

to be most prevalent in the military, while fewer women
in academia.
Human Rights Watch, 2001. also indicated that one in four
female students at the University of Natal (Durban, South
Africa) have experienced sexual harassment from male
faculty and peers.

Haruhanga, 2006. reported that 42% of women in Makerere

University in Uganda have been sexually harassed by male
faculty and peers.
 SOUTH AFRICA
Karanja, 1981. in his study of Lagos, Nigeria found that
sexual harassment was widespread and that the main
targets for sexual pressure were the less educated, the
single and those working in low paying jobs as typists,
secretaries or petty contractors.

Paul Nyende, 2000. found that in Uganda, 65% women

admitted having been sexually harassed and this was
mainly because women‟s jobs not only offer low pay,
little privilege and routine tasks but also require women
to serve emotional support and be sexually attractive to
men.
Adedokun, 2004., and Ejiogu and Onyene, 2006. found
that about 86% of male faculty and staff in the sampled
universities in Nigeria have sexually harassed female
students at one point in their teaching career

Houreld, 2006. found that 80% of women in Nigerian

higher education institutions reported sexual harassment
as their greatest challenge in the successful completion
of their academic goals.
 ASIA
Report on Sexual Harassment, 1996. The report by the gender study
group of the Delhi University showed that 91.7 per cent of all the
inmates of women‟s hostels and 88.2 per cent of all the women day
scholars had faced sexual harassment on the roads and within the
campus.

Rameshan, 1998. reported that forty-eight per cent of the women

lawyers surveyed stated that they had heard or experienced remarks or
jokes that were demeaning to women.
Samirah, 1999. In Japan sexual harassment study, data was undertaken from 70

complainants and found that out of this, 40 had left their jobs due to their

experiences. Their harassers were mostly married men with responsible jobs. A

report compiled by the Japanese Trade Union Confederation revealed that 40

percent of working women said that they had experienced some form of sexual

harassment. Out of this, 2 percent reported that they were forced to have a

relationship.

Parish et.al, 2006. a study on sexual harassment in China with 3,821 participants,

and was nationally representative of China‟s adult population aged 20–64. In

total, 12.5% of all women and 15.1% of urban women reported some form of

harassment in the past year.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT ACT – REPORTED INCI
DENTS’
S.No. State
DATA 2010 2011 2012 2013  (as on Total
10/12/2013)
1 Andaman and Nicobar Islands 0 1 0 0 1

2 Andhra Pradesh 1 3 0 1 5
3 Arunachal Pradesh 0 0 0 0 0
4 Assam 0 2 0 0 2
5 Bihar 4 3 3 5 15

6 Chandigarh 0 0 0 4 4
7 Chhattisgarh 1 0 1 1 3
8 Dadra and Nagar Haveli 0 0 0 0 0
9 Daman & Diu 0 0 0 0 0
10 Delhi 25 23 15 36 99
11 Goa 1 1 1 0 3
CONTINUE..
S.No. State 2010 2011 2012 2013  (as on Total
10/12/2013)
12 Gujarat 4 1 0 8 13
13 Haryana 5 3 2 13 23
14 Himachal Pradesh 0 0 0 0 0
15 Jammu & Kashmir 1 1 0 1 3
16 Jharkhand 4 5 2 2 13
17 Karnataka 2 3 1 3 9
18 Kerala 0 0 1 1 2
19 Lakshadweep 0 0 0 0 0
20 Madhya Pradesh 10 10 9 9 38
21 Maharashtra 7 4 4 7 22
22 Manipur 0 0 0 0 0
 CONTINUE…
S.N. State 2010 2011 2012 2013  (as on Total
10/12/2013)

23 Meghalaya 0 0 0 0 0
24 Mizoram 0 0 0 0 0
25 Nagaland 0 0 0 0 0
26 Orissa 2 1 4 4 11
27 Pondicherry 0 0 1 0 1

28 Punjab 6 2 1 6 15
29 Rajasthan 5 14 13 10 42
30 Sikkim 0 0 0 0 0
31 Tamil Nadu 0 1 1 1 3
CONTINUE..
S.N State 2010 2011 2012 2013  (as on Total
o. 10/12/2013)
32 Tripura 0 0 0 0 0

33 Uttar Pradesh 23 20 41 34 118

34 Uttarakhand 0 1 3 0 4

35 West Bengal 3 1 0 4 8

Total 104 100 103 150 457

Source: NCW
Author Year Findings
Chatterjee 2001 Sexual harassment was severe for women in
the unorganized sector; while in Central
Government offices these incidents hardly
came to the forefront. About 92 percent
organizations stated that no such incident
occurred in their offices; 60 per cent
organizations declared that they had
instituted a complaint committee, while 24%
had not formed any such committee. Very
few Indian companies had a separate and
clear policy on sexual harassment; 8 per cent
of them stated they had other cells.
Author Year Findings

Menon 2007 Argued that right to a safe workplace is not

the only right women aspire to, it is one of the
many that they are entitled to. She observed
that it is very difficult for women to
complain, speak openly about sexual
harassment, or seek redressal.

Ramdoss 2010 Reported that majority of women faced

hugging by the abusers (68%), 27 per cent
suffered brushing and 5 per cent faced
unwelcome touching. Women were harassed
by their colleagues (71%) and 29 per cent
were abused by the supervisors.
Author Year Findings

Samhita 2001 During the 1990s, the most controversial and

brutal gang rape at the workplace in
Rajasthan state of government employee who
tried to prevent child marriage as part of her
duties as a worker of the Women
Development Programme.

Patel 2002 Sexual Harassment at the Workplace (SHW)

has remained one of the central concerns of
the women's movement in India since the
early-'80s .
Author Year Findings
Mathew 2002 In 1997, the Supreme Court passed a landmark
judgment in the Vishakha case laying down
guidelines to be followed by establishments in
dealing with complaints about sexual
harassment.
Dalal 2003 80% of respondents revealed that SHW exists,
49% had encountered SHW, 41% had
experienced SHW, 53% women and men did not
have equal opportunities, 53% were treated
unfairly by supervisors, employers and co-
workers, 58% had not heard of the Supreme
Court's directive of 1997, and only 20% of
organisations had implemented the Vishakha
guidelines.
Author Year Findings

Raymond 2003 Sexual harassment is still endemic, often

hidden and present in all kinds of
organizations. The issue is of concern for
both women & the employers as sexual
harassment touches lives of nearly 40-60
percent of working women.

SCWSD 2003 Study shows that awareness and

and ICHRL implementation of the Supreme Court's
guidelines is very low and there is a need
to spread awareness about the same.
REPORTED CASES
CASES OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT
(PROMINENT NAMES)
Year Person associated Authority Organization

2001 Phaneesh Murthy Global sales head Infosysis

2004 C. Venkatraman CMD Nalco

2010 Pradeep Shrivastva Chief marketing Idea cellular

officer

2010 David Davidar CEO Penguin Int.

2012 Gopal Kanda Promoter MDLR Airlines

2013 (Name withheld) India Retail Head Foreign Bank

VICTIMS

 AAUW’s own research revealed that 83 percent of girls and 79 percent of

boys reported having experienced sexual harassment, and over one in four
students stated that harassment happens “often.”
 (11 In 1993, AAUW released Hostile Hallways: The AAUW Survey on
Sexual Harassment in America's Schools, which revealed that four out of
five students in grades eight to 11 had experienced some form of sexual
harassment. In 2001, the AAUW Educational Foundation released the
follow-up report, Hostile Hallways: Bullying, Teasing, and Sexual
Harassment in School, which found that nearly a decade later, sexual
harassment remained a major problem and a significant barrier to
student achievement in public schools. In response, AAUW developed a
resource guide, Harassment-Free Hallways (2002), which provides
guidelines and recommendations to help schools, students, and parents
prevent and combat sexual harassment. All of these publications,
including Drawing the Line, are available at www.aauw.org/research. )
 National Commission for Women of 1200 women,
nearly 50 per cent complained of gender discrimination
and physical and mental harassment at work. While 40
per cent of the women said they “usually ignored” such
provocation, 3.54 per cent said they reported these to
their supervisors, 7.8 per cent to their colleagues and
1.24 per cent to the police. About 10 per cent said that
they protested against such behaviour while 9 per cent
said they warned the offenders. At least 20.17 per cent of
the respondents said that no investigation was done on
their complaints while 1.5 per cent said police harassed
them again instead of making the enquiry.
AWARENSEE ABOUT SUPREME COURT
GUIDELINES
Bhatnagar, 1998. reported that 84.97 % respondents were
not aware of the supreme court judgement given in
August 1997, for specific protection of women from
sexual harassment at work.
LEGAL FRAMEWORK
 Sexual harassment laws in most countries like Denmark,
UK, Italy, Ireland, Finland, France, Germany, Portugal,
Spain, Netherlands, Phillippines etc. are gender-neutral.

 Workplace which may be either gender-specific

Pakistan, India

 While the other was on inclusion of provisions as part of

existing anti-sex determination or equal opportunities
frameworks (Australia).
LEGAL FRAME WORK (INDIAN
CONTEXT)
 Procedure to be followed

Incident of SHW

on request of female employee

Conciliation
Internal complaint
committee/Local complaint
committee

Report of enquiry

Continue..
 Report of enquiry

Allegations Allegations
proved not proved

Punishment for false

No action by or malicious
Action for misconduct
employer complaint/false
evidence

Appeal to the court/tribunal

 TIMELINESS

A written complaint has to be filed by female employee

within three months of the date of incidence

The enquiry has to be completed within 90 days

The enquiry report has to be issued within ten days from the
date of completion of enquiry
CONTINUE..

Employer is required to act on the

recommendations of the committee within 60
days of receipt of enquiry report

Appeal against the decision of the committee is

allowed within 90 days of recommendation
IMPORTANT ISSUES/CONCERNS
RAISED
 Gender-Neutrality
 Role of NGOs in the implementation of the legislation

 Training of members of Complaints Committees

 Role of National and State Commissions for Women

Patel, 2007. found that the main myths about eve teasing
amongst men was that women enjoyed it; men seen it as
harmless flirting; and that they also reported that some
women were ‘asking for it’ by the way they dress.
Rogers, 2008. that Eve teasing was the way to enact Tamil
masculinity and to regain some of their status.
WORLD SCENARIO SH
 Despite having stringent laws on crime against women and strict
enforcement authorities, every 2 minutes, someone in the US is
sexually harassed. Sexual assault is one of the most under
reported crime with 60% still being left unreported (U.S.
Department of Justice, National Crime Victimization Survey,
2006-2010.Rape Statistics–Facts about Rape and Sexual Assault.
Available at http://www.rainn.org/statistics?gclid)
 The situation is equally worse in European Union countries.
Between 40 to 50 % of women in European Union countries
experience unwanted sexual advances, physical contacts or other
forms of sexual harassment at work (The Facts: Violence against
women and MDG compiled by UNIFEM,2010. Available at http:/
 /www.endvawnow.org/uploads/modules/pgf/

 1328563919.)
 Across Asia, studies in Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines
and South Korea show that 30- 40 % suffer workplace
harassment.(compiled by UNIFEM,2010. Available at
http:/
 /www.endvawnow.org/uploads/modules/pgf/

 1328563919.
CONSEQUENCES OF SH
 According to data compiled by Equal Rights Advocates,
a women’s law centre in the U.S., 90 to 95% of sexually
harassed women suffer from some debilitating stress
reaction, including anxiety, depression, headaches, sleep
disorders, weight loss or gain, nausea, lowered self-
esteem and sexual dysfunction.
 In addition, victims of sexual harassment lose $4.4
million dollars in wages and 973,000 hours in unpaid
leave each year in the United States.
 According to WHO 2002, a women who had been sexually
harassed is 3 times more likely to suffer from depression, 6
times more likely to suffer from post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD), 13 times more likely to abuse alcohol, 26
times more likely to abuse drugs, 4 times more likely to
contemplate suicide.
 Dzeich and Weiner 1984 reported three types of effect i.e.
emotional, physical and behavioural. Feeling of
powerlessness, lack of confidence and self esteem, anger,
hurt and depression etc.
 Gutek and Koss(1993) also reported the emotional,
physical and psychological damage a woman experience
from sexual harassment at work place.
 DeSouza and Fansler 2003.reported that female victims
of sexual harassment had higher level of depression and
anxiety than male victim.
PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
 ILO Technical Report arising out of the Seminar
 on Action against Sexual Harassment at Work in Asia and the
Pacific (2001). Victims of sexual harassment suffer in a variety
of ways, but common physiological effects include nausea, loss
of appetite, headaches, and fatigue, which can lead to increased
absenteeism. The trauma associated with sexual harassment can
also cause miscarriage in pregnant women. Moreover, in the
absence of adequate support systems, including psychological
counselling and medical care,
 the physiological effects of harassment can result in chronic
illness, which then
 further impairs both the victim’s ability to work and her overall
quality of life. (Sexual Harassment at the Workplace in Nepal.
p26.)
PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS

 Common psychological effects of sexual harassment

include humiliation,
 shame, anger, fear, anxiety, depression, and decreased
motivation. In extreme
 cases, the resulting trauma may lead victims to commit
suicide. Without proper
 counselling, psychological suffering can lead to a total
loss of interest in work,
 or to a debilitating fear of going outside or of being
alone.
SOCIO-ECONOMIC EFFECTS
 A loss in concentration and hence productivity affects opportunities
for
 advancement, which in turn lowers earning capacity, especially for
those paid daily
 or on the basis of output produced. A victim who refuses the
advances of a superior
 may be fired, or feel forced to resign if management is
unsympathetic to her situation.
 Such loss of employment or a decrease in earning power may then
force her into
 economic dependence on others, placing a victim in a precarious
situation and
 exacerbating her risk of suffering other forms of gender-based
violence. (above author)
ON ENTERPRISES
 it damages an enterprise by weakening the bases
 upon which work relationships are built and impairing
productivity.” It also harms
 productivity by increasing “workplace tensions, which
[…] may impede teamwork,
 collaboration and work performance”, before finally
resulting in increased
 absenteeism and decreased productivity. (General
Surveys on Equality in Employment and Occupation
Convention. International
 Labour Organisation. 1996.)
ON SOCIETIES
 sexual harassment also
 produces negative outcomes for entire societies.
Tolerance of such behaviour
 “impedes the achievement of equality between men and
women, it condones
 sexual violence[,] and…[i]t is wasteful from economic,
social and human resource
 development points of view to invest only in selected
parts of the population [as
 a result of] discrimination based on sex… (ILO
Technical Report. P20)
 In a period of two years, over 36,000 federal employees
quit their jobs, were transferred, were fired because of
sexual harassment. 9US.Merit System Protection Board
1987)

 Salisbery et al 1986 reported that physical effect of

sexual harassment includes gastrointestinal-disturbances,
jaw tightness and teeth grinding, nervousness, binge-
eating, headache, inability to sleep, tiredness, nausea,
loss of appetite and weight loss.
 Awassa, Ethiopia in 2007 among college faculty and
staff members on workplace abuse and sexual
harassment. female staff members, (82.2%) reported
having at least one experience of workplace abuse within
past 12 month with a similar pattern of distribution
amongst academic and administrative staff. (Marsh J,
Patel S, Gelaye B, Goshu M, Worku A, Williams MA, et
al. Prevalence of workplace abuse and sexual harassment
among female faculty and staff. J Occup Health 2009;
51(4): 314-22.)
 As an example from a high-income setting, a national
representative (online) study of students in US middle
and high schools found that out of 1002 female
respondents, a majority of girls reported experiencing
some form of sexual harassment at school during the
2010–2011 school year (18) 18. Hill C, Kearl H.
Crossing the line: sexual harassment at school.
Washington, DC, American Association of University
Women, 2011.
 Richman et al. who noted that 68% of female faculty
surveyed at American universities reported experiencing
workplace abuse. (Richman JA, Rospenda KM, Nawyn SJ,
et al. Sexual harassment and generalised workplace abuse
among university employees: Prevalence and mental health
correlates. Am J Public Health 1999; 89 : 358-63.)

 The result of this study are similar to reports from other

studies in western countries where the prevalence of sexual
harassment is ranging from 40% to 57%. (Carr PL, Ash AS,
Friedman R H, et al. Faculty perceptions of gender
discrimination and sexual harassment in academia
medicine. Ann Intern Med 2000; 132 : 889-96.)
 the data from non-western countries differs. In Taiwan, one year
prevalence of sexual harassment was found to be 9.5%9, and workplace
abuse 25% whereas(Chen WC, Huw HG, Kung SM, Chiu HJ, Wang JD.
Prevalence and determinants of workplace violence of health care
workers in a psychiatric hospital in Taiwan. J Occup Health 2008; 50 :
288-93.)
 in Japan10, 56% of nurses surveyed reported that they had been
sexually harassed.(Hibino Y, Ogino K, Inagaki M. Sexual harassment of
female nurses by patients in Japan. J Nurs Scholarsh 2006; 38 : 400-5.)

 In Thailand less than 1% of nurses reported experiencing sexual

harassment(Kamchuchat C, Chongsuvivatwong V, Oncheunjit S, Yip
TW. Sangthong R. Workplace violence directed at nursing staff at a
general hospital in southern Thailand. J Occup Health 2008; 50 : 201-7.)
INDIA
 cross sectional study on harassment done in Mangalore12, out of
160 working women interviewed, about 28.8% were found to be
harassed.(Unnikrishnan B, Rekha T, Kumar G, Reshmi B, Mithra P,
Sanjeev B. Harassment among women at workplace: A cross
sectional study in coastal south India. Indian J Commun Med 2010;
35 : 350-2.)

 in Kerala, 1000 women were interviewed about street harassment

out of which 98% said they had experienced and 90% said that it
was either physical or verbal. 62% reported that the harassment was
notable on public transportation. (New Indian Study: 98 percent of
women report street harassment. Available from: http://
www.stopstreetharassment.org/2010/12/newindian- study 98 percent
of_women_report_ street_harassment. Accessed on 11th Sept.
2011.)
 An exploratory study was undertaken in 2005- 2006
among 135 women health workers, including doctors,
nurses, health care attendants, administrative and other
non medical staff working in two govt. and two private
hospitals in Kolkata. Four types of experiences were
reported by 77 women who had experienced 128
incidents of sexual harassment: verbal (41),
psychological (45), sexual gestures and exposure (15)
and unwanted touch (27). (Chaudhuri P. Experiences of
sexual harassment of women health workers in four
hospitals in Kolkata, India. Reprod Health Matters 2007;
15(30) : 221-9.)
 (National Crime Records Bureau: Home Ministry of
India 2010.) Andhra Pradesh has reported 30.3% of cases
(3,316) followed by Uttar Pradesh 26.3% (2,882).
Andhra Pradesh has reported the highest crime rate 4.1
as compared to the National average of 1.0.
 In studies from around the world, including Africa, south Asia, and
Latin America, studies have documented that substantial
proportions of girls report experiencing sexual harassment and
abuse on the way to and from school, as well as on school and
university premises, including classrooms lavatories and
dormitories, by peers and by teachers (15,16).
 in a study among primary schools in the Machinga district of
Malawi, primary school girls reported experiencing various types
of sexual harassment and abuse at school, including sexual
comments (7.8%), sexual touch (13.5%), ‘rape’ (2.3%), and
‘coerced or unwanted’ sex (1.3%) (17). That same study found that
teachers at 32 out of 40 schools reported knowing a male teacher at
their school who had propositioned a student for sexual intercourse;
while teachers at 26 out of 40 schools reported that a male teacher
at their school had got a student pregnant.
 15. Management Systems International (MSI). Are schools safe
havens for children? Examining school-related gender-based
violence. Washington, DC, United States Agency for International
Development (USAID), 2008.
 16. Wellesley Centers for Research on Women, DTS (2003). Unsafe
schools: a literature review of school-related gender-based violence
in developing countries. Washington, DC, United States Agency for
International Development (USAID), 2003.
 17. Columbia RH, Kadzamira E, Moleni C (2007). The Safe Schools
Program: student and teacher baseline report on school-related
gender-based violence in Machinga District, Malawi. Washington,
DC, United States Agency for International Development (USAID),
2007. http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/cross-cutting_
programs/wid/ed/safeschools.html]
2006 PRATIMA CHAUDHARY

 the majority of cases of sexual harassment were

perpetrated by doctors (41 out of 129 incidents reported),
who are figures of authority in the hospital hierarchy.
Likewise, most of the perpetrators of harassment
reported by female doctors were male doctors (26 out of
41 perpetrators), usually those holding positions of
authority. Nurses (14) and other health care personnel,
including attendants and administrative staff, also
reported harassment by doctors, though to a significantly
lesser extent. Nurses also reported harassment by
patients or their families (22).
 Although a large number of incidents of sexual
harassment were experienced (77/135), few women took
any formal action (27/77).

 only 27 of the 77 women experiencing harassment made

a formal complaint; Of the 27 cases reported to a
supervisor or the management, in only 10 cases was
action taken.

 Notably, action was not taken in a single case in which a

doctor was implicated, but was taken in all cases in
which a non-medical staff member was implicated. (
 Few respondents (20 out of 135) were aware of the
Supreme Court Guidelines on Sexual
 Harassment and none had heard of a complaints
committee for redress of complaints. (Paramita
Chaudhuri, Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
 EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN IN THE HEALTH
SECTOR Health and Population Innovation Fellowship
Programme Working Paper, No. 1(2006)
DEMOGRAPHIC ASSOCIATION WITH SH
 Age is another significant demographic characteristic
associated with sexual
 harassment as younger people are documented to be
more likely targets of sexually
 harassing behaviours than older people (USMSPB.
1981,1988,1995).
PERCEPTION ABOUT SH
 Majority of the respondents had limited perception of
sexual harassment at work place. About 66 per cent
perceived it as physical contact and advances of sexual
nature and 58 per cent as request or demand for sexual
favours. Sexually coloured remarks was the perception
of sexual harassment stated by 44 per cent of the
respondents. A large number of respondents were not
aware of indirect behaviour of sexual nature i.e. body
language.
BY
YUGANTAR EDUCATION SOCIETY 2004.
CIVIL LINES,

 Out of 600 working women covered by the study 224

(about 37 per cent) were the victims of sexual
harassment at work place. The incidence of sexual
harassment at work place was about 17 per cent in
organised sector and 20 per cent in unorganised sector. It
was 20 per cent in urban areas and 17 per cent in rural
areas. that about 94% of them were in the age range of
18 to 38 years, about 71% were highly educated and
29% were either illiterate or educated up to primary level
only
EFFECT ON VICTIM
 It leaves them feeling threatened, humiliated, patronised
or harassed, and creates a threatening, intimidating work
environment. In the worst cases women have committed
suicide. it affects workers’ morale it makes them less
efficient.
EFFECT OF SH
 Gutek and Koss (1993), Reese and Lidenberg (1999),
Stockdale (1996) allude to the costs involved both to the
victim and the organization in three areas of Somatic
health, psychological health and work outcome.

 Carothers and Crull (1984) assert sexuality has become

part of the workplace negotiation so much that sexual
favours have become a currency by which women trade
for easier jobs, promotions and job security.
 According to another report published by Ain-O-shalish Kendra(ASK) on 13 th
December 2010, Sexual harassment against girls and women in Bangladesh is
turning deadly , 28 women have committed suicide this year and and another
seven attempted it to escape frequent sexual harassment.
 Decent Work for domestic workers in

 Vietnam conducted by the Institute for Family and Gender Studies in 2011

 highlighted that both male and female domestic workers were subject to sexual

 Harassment.(Institute for Family and Gender Studies, Decent work for

domestic workers in Viet Nam, Ha Noi, 2012.
 Labour and Social Publishing House,) In fact, sexual harassment at workplace
can happen to individuals from
 all age groups, however, the risks are higher for young people aged between 18
and
 30 years. Both students and full-time employees recognize this characteristic.
Young
 attractive women are especially at risk.
REASONS OF SH
 According to Ditomaso (cited in Hearn et al), sexual
harassment is a result of competition between the sexes
for domination.

 (Callagher- 1995), Pringle (cited in Hearn et al) however

have insisted that sexual harassment is not only an
individual problem but also part of an organized
expression of male power. It is one way that women are
kept out of non-traditional occupations and re-enforce
their secondary status in the workplace. This perception
is further re-enforced by the bureaucratic set-up of most
organizations
 Literature reports that sexual harassment has impacted women's
selfesteem
 as well as their academic, social, and psychological wellbeing
(Ladebo, 2003;
 Mashingaidze 2006; Popovich, 1988).

 Leach, Machakanja, and Mandoga (2000) found that in a coeducation

 school in Zimbabwe 47% of girls experienced sexual harassment from
male teachers
 and students.

 Leach et al. (2003) also

 found that 27% of girls in junior secondary schools in Ghana have

experienced forced sex and
 over 50% have also been sexually harassed.
INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION AND MOVES TO
STAMP
OUT SEXUAL HARASSMENT AT WORK
 International Labour Organisation: In 2003, the ILO’s
Governing body adopted a Code of practice on workplace
violence in services sectors, offering guidance, including
against sexual harassment.
 United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)
Beijing Declaration and Programme for Action The
1995 United Nations’ Women’s Conference in Beijing
 Regional Measures

 Europe The European Union’s 1991 ‘Code of Practice’

called on Member States to promote awareness of sexual
harassment and take measures against it, and a Directive
prohibiting sexual harassment was adopted in 2002.
 Organisation of American States ‘Inter-American Convention on Violence
Against Women’
 Over 50 countries have prohibited sexual harassment at work through national
legislation or labour codes:

 Prohibition of sexual harassment is included in the national human rights

 legislation of three countries: Canada (Canadian Human Rights Act), Fiji
(Human
 Rights Commission Act, 1999) and New Zealand (Human Rights Act,
1993)60. These
 statutes apply to harassment in a range of contexts, including education and
housing,
 but refer specifically to workplace harassment(D. McCann. Sexual
harassment at work: National and international responses, Conditions of
Work and
 Employment Programme, ILO, 2005.)
 A recent study by the American Association of
University Women, for example, found that 83% of
female and 79% of male students in grades 8 through 11
had been sexually harassed at school in ways that
interfered with their lives. One third of the surveyed
students—20% of boys and 44% of girls—said that they
fear being sexually harassed during the school day.
(Hostile Hallways: Bullying, Teasing and Sexual
Harassment in School (American Association of
University Women), 2001, available at
http://www.aauw.org/research/girls_education/hostile.cf
m
.)
COPING MACHENISM
 According to Gruber (1989) avoidance behaviour such as
avoiding the harasser and ignoring incidents of
harassment is one of the most frequently used responses
to sexual harassment by women.