Women and the freedom to work

The supreme Court’s ire, expressed last Friday over the continuation of sexual harassment of women in workplaces, reflects an important concern. Instances of such harassment have possibly not abated despite widespread awareness, including among men, that it is wrong. Even the guidelines suggested by the Supreme Court appear not to have been taken seriously. It has to be reiterated that women are entitled to a safe place to work. They should not be at the receiving end of unwanted aggression in any form, particularly sexual harassment, which is an extreme form of bullying. Very often women in a workplace find that they attract male interest that is unsolicited and unwanted. Many women, especially those whose jobs make them vulnerable, are not able to protect themselves sufficiently. They women are made offers that have nothing to do with their work but are shocking. It may be noted in passing that the harassment that women face at the workplace is not restricted to sexual abuse alone. These are many other kind of behaviour which are not sexual in nature but are offensive in the workplace. This can include rude behaviour, lack of respect, a flouting of their authority and a denigration of status despite proven ability and intelligence. Women may be excluded from decision-making for no fault of their own. These are grave issues at the workplace as well. Thus, women face a plethora of problems in the workplace, some of which are shared by men alone. It is not necessary that laws alone are an answer to the problem, which calls for a better understanding between the sexes. In fact, sexual harassment is but one aspect of the larger problem of exploitation that affects many sections of people.

This is not to suggest that all men are to blame. In fact, many men are polite and courteous to their female colleagues and respectful of their work. There are many women, including quite a few who have risen high who will vouch for the fact that they never encountered such harassment. Thus, sexual harassment should not be seen the norm for Indian society, which is why laws and guidelines  hould not discourage healthy interaction between the sexes or affect consensual relations. India is a liberal society and the intermingling of the sexes should  not frowned upon. Therefore, the courts should not enforce the law in such a manner as to destroy the happy relations between the sexes, nor should there be a talibanisation of the laws.