Question- Explain the forms of sexual harassment.

Related Short Answer Questions

1. How does rape affect a victim?

2. How many types of harassment at work place have been prescribed by the Supreme Court?

Answer -

There are many forms of sexual harassment. A woman may be harassed at her place of work or she may be harassed at home or in the street. In the following section, we will discuss two important forms of sexual harassment. (1) Rape, and (2) Harassment at the work place.

Rape

Rape is the act of coercive sexual intercourse with a woman and which is against her will. When a boy is having sex with any girl without her consent, or when she has sex with someone else, then it is called rape.
In today’s time, the incidents of rape are increasing alarmingly. It is shocking but true that many women have been raped by the police themselves when they have gone to the police station to lodge their complaint. In this regard, women’s organizations and social workers created a lot of hue and cry for the rape of a 16-year-old tribal girl in Mathura jail in police custody. Religious conservatives also dressed it as communalism. Because of this, many times communal conflicts arise. This fact is also unbelievable that what is called safe heaven does not prove to be safe. Male relatives from within the household rape teenage girls.
Rape not only harms the body but also causes severe physical pain and also creates psychological problems. Victims of rape suffer injury for long or short intervals. If the victim of rape happens to be a girl child or a victim (now young girls are also raped) she does not even know what is happening to her. Whatever is happening to the girl at this age can be harmful for her later in adulthood. The psychological pain that occurs with this girl continues for the rest of her life.

Sexual Abuse at Workplace

Rape is one such sexual harassment that can be easily noticed. But there is also such a form of sexual abuse which till now no one knew and no one even bothered about it. It refers to the assault and abuse that a woman experiences at her place of work. Whether this place of work is an office or a place of farming. This is not the case today, for hundreds of years, women have suffered openly or covertly abuse at their workplace. But in the absence of any legal protection or due to economic pressure, women have to bear this abuse. Proponents of male dominance can easily say that if harassment at work place is unbearable for women, then women should not come outside their homes to work. If a woman is so serious about her honour, she should stay inside the house.
The Supreme Court has mentioned the occurrence of five types of behaviours related to sexual harassment at work place:
➤ To give some suggestions for physical contact and sexual conduct.
➤ Threatening or giving favours for sexual relations.
➤ Using sexual language.
➤ Display of pornography.
➤ Any physical or verbal act involving unwanted sexual elements or facts.
The Supreme Court has ordered all employers, whether in the organized sector or unorganized, to form a committee to control sexual harassment. The function of this committee would be to look into all the cases of sexual harassment and take appropriate action. Despite this provision, even today many organizations have not formed such committees and neither women workers are aware of their rights. It is also true that in the absence of proper evidence, many cases are closed. Having this, we are satisfied that in many cases of incidents of sexual harassment, justice can be expected within the provision of law.

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