Prevention of Sexual

Harassment of Women at
the Workplace

.
Deepanjali Bhas
 WHY ARE WE HERE?

 Because sexual harassment at work

is a serious issue.

 And Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals

has always had a Zero Tolerance
policy for sexual harassment
What is  “Sexual Harassment” ?
 The Act – Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace
(Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.
 Any unwelcome sexually determined conduct whether
physical, verbal or non-verbal –
 i.e., Gestures / Words/ Actions

Including, but not limited to:

 sexual advances, demands or requests for sexual
favors, molestation, sexually nuanced gestures,
comments, remarks or jokes either verbal, textual,
graphic or electronic or by any other means or
action.
 


Sexual Harassment
 Touching or brushing against any part of the body
and the like of a woman employee.
 Physical confinement of any woman employee
and/or any other act likely to violate her privacy.
 Physical contact and advances or forcible physical
touch or molestation of woman employee.

Remember that it is about a woman’s perception. If it is

unwelcome behavior, it may constitute sexual

harassment even without intent.

Sexually colored remarks to woman

employee. 
Showing pornography or other offensive or

derogatory pictures, cartoons, pamphlets or
sayings to woman employee. 
Jokes causing or likely to cause awkwardness

or embarrassment to woman employee. 
Unwelcome sexual overtone in any manner

such as over telephone (obnoxious telephone
calls) and the like to woman employee.
 
 WHAT CONSTITUTES SEXUAL
HARRASSMENT
Verbal harassment, e.g., derogatory comments, slurs, teasing,

jokes commenting about woman’s body or appearance,
offensive sexual flirtation, sexual advances or propositions,
gender based comments, inquiries/discussions into one's sexual
experiences, threats, insults, whistles, sexually explicit or
offensive language. 
Physical harassment, e.g., assault, stalking, staring, blocking

movement, physical contact such as patting, pinching, hugging.  
Visual and nonverbal forms of harassment, e.g., derogatory

posters, sexually oriented cartoons, display of sexually
suggestive objects or pictures, such as calendars, screen
savers, demeaning graffiti, sexually suggestive gestures.
 
 UNWELCOME BEHAVIOUR
 Any male person using his authority to exploit
sexuality or sexual identity of a subordinate woman
employee by an act to:
 threaten, coerce or intimidate an employee to
accept sexual advances
 or by making implied or explicit threat affecting the
employment status of woman employee
 or by creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive
working environment that may be humiliating and
may constitute a health and safety problem
 Elements of Sexual
Harassment

 Sexual in Nature

 Must be Unwelcome

 Must Occur at Workplace – this also includes

“extended workplace,” like office transport, outside
meetings, outside office hours
 Being charged in sexual harassment cases can
negatively impact your career.
 TO WHOM DOES THIS
APPLY?
 All employees - doctors, consultants, patients,
junior medical staff, residents, lab technicians, ward
boys, housemen, nurses, managers, assistant
managers and all those connected with the working
of the hospital in medical and administrative
departments. Also includes contractual employees.

 Also includes third party interactions.

 
 INTERNAL COMPLAINTS
COMMITTEE

 The Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) is

functional and deals with complaints of sexual
harassment at the workplace in keeping with the
law.
 A complaint may be addressed to the immediate
supervisor OR
 It can be given to any member of ICC.

 Women – please ensure complaints are taken

seriously and not made frivolously.
 Once a complaint is
received…
 ICC will hear any complaint referred by an
aggrieved woman at the earliest point of time and
within a period of 7 working days

 Strict confidentiality of the complaint, complainant

and the respondent will be maintained within the
hospital during the pendency of the enquiry.

 STRICT ACTION – After a thorough enquiry and

where charges stand proved, ICC makes
recommendations to Management who will deal with
the issue strictly.
 Be a True Professional

 Maintain a neutral working relationship with all

colleagues.

 Harassment is a humiliating experience for a woman.

It is against the law.

 Women – must clearly tell when a colleague’s actions

or words make them uncomfortable and to stop doing
so.

 Mens’ interface with women colleagues in the

workplace has to be professional and business-like.
Let’s work together to ensure
a safe working environment.

Thank You