The MP state women's commission (MPSWC) received 244 complaints in 2012-13 on harassment at workplace, including sexual, in just last seven months from April 1 this year. At least 143 such cases have been registered at the commission, which shows such cases are on the rise.
Chairperson MPSWC Upma Rai told TOI, "It is unfortunate that employers are unable to guarantee safety of women as they are mostly the perpetrators of the crime, according to statistics."
Asha Mishra from Madhya Pradesh Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti (MPBGVS) and convenor of the ongoing '16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence 2013' movement said, "Despite the landmark judgement of Supreme Court in the Vishakha case, committee against sexual harassment (CASH) is missing in most workplaces. The government has a patriarchal mindset and doesn't sanction a gender-based budget. There is lot of discrimination even in the budget for Domestic Violence Act 2005."
Shivani Saini, another activist spearheading the Beti Zindabad campaign in the state said the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 got the President's assent on April 22 this year, but has not been effectively implemented.
"While the guidelines are confined to the traditional office set-up where there is a clear employer-employee relationship, the Act goes further to include organizations, departments, offices, branch units in the public and private sectors, organized and unorganized, hospitals, nursing homes, educational institutions, sports institutes, stadiums, sports complexes and any place visited by the employee during the course of employment, including public transport. The government should implement it stringently," she said.
Another social worker said if the commission's figures are so high, then the actual number of cases would be much higher as these institutions are the last stages of redressal. "Often women do not approach authorities in fear of retaliation and stigma," she said.
However, MPSWC member Snehlata Upadhyay who is also looking into the MPCA sexual assault case said, "More number of cases being registered also means more women are coming out in the open."
MPSWC writes to CS
The state women's commission has also recently written to the chief secretary of the state Antony D'sa to notify the district officer of the local complaints committee (LCC) as per provisions of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. "In districts where the district officer has not been appointed, the chief secretary should ensure that a competent authority like the district collector or deputy collector should be appointed as the district officer," said chairperson Rai.
Recent cases
NIFT - 30 girl students, two teaching faculty and an employee have made allegations against NIFT's joint director Vasant Kothari. Even one of the committee members, which were formed to probe the allegation, later, went on to level sexual harassment charges against Kothari. The accused has been transferred to Jodhpur branch of NIFT and has been served notice by MPSWC to appear on December 11.
MPCA - More than two months after Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association's (MPCA) joint secretary Alpesh Shah was accused of sexual assault by an U-19 woman cricketer, Shah was recently arrested. Shah has been accused of sexually harassing the cricketer when she was called for seeking his 'special blessings' at Holkar Stadium's administrative block office in Indore on the evening of September 23.
Year - Cases
2013-14 - 143 (till Oct 31)
2012-13 - 244
2010-11 - 268
2009-10 - 115
Source: MPSWC
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