Sexual Harassment at workplace has been one of issue of India's low women labour force participation rate (24.5%). With inception of MeToo movement in India, several cases of sexual harassment are getting public attention. This also show the failure of laws enacted to reduce the sexual harassment at workplaces such as Sexual harassment at workplaces Act, 2013 etc.
Due to failure of laws and their implementation in letter and spirit, it has been argued that there is a need of familial and social sensitisation to cope up with this issue.
Need of familial and social sensitisation:
sustainability in change: it will bring the change within which will be sustainable in nature. It will improve the confidence of women while working in the workplaces even at lower age. For example, according to NCRB report, about 94.6% of the sexual harassment happens by known person. So social sensitisation will reduce such cases. Will improve the awareness of the women getting sexually harassed. it will bring into notice the cases which are not covered by MeToo movement, which is only prevalent in urban Areas.
social patriarchy is a very old practice, running since later Vedic period. So laws can only act as punitive measure. To prevent such issue, we need to improve conscience of an individual. This can be done via social and familial sensitisation.
However, only social and familial sensitisation will not suffice, we need to take following measures:
improve reporting of the cases with the simplification in FIR process. For Example: AARAKSHI project of Rajasthan improving reporting rate.Sensitisation of police regarding laws, so that they can understand the goal of law.Sex Education at secondary level should become integral to our curriculum. Amending existing laws. For example: incorporation of Justice Verma committee recommendation on Sexual harassment at workplaces.improve criminal justice system as a whole to reduce impunity in mind of the perpetrators.
Social change, be it women empowerment or abolishing sexual harassment, is never a battle once and for all. It is a continuous process. It can only be achieved, when we lit this feeling in every heart and then it will become a movement. And this movement will bring the required changes in the society.
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