‘Be a man, respect woman’: J&K government to constitute ‘sexual harassment complaint committees’ in all departments

Srinagar: A few weeks ago, when a teacher at a government college in Srinagar was delivering lessons in the ECE classroom (Communication skills in English) a group of students resorted to unruly behavior. They used expletives and abuses in sexually colored language.

“There is a dire need to create sexual harassment committees, as gendered violence and harassment creates not just great discomfort but also actively dissuades people especially women from participating in and accessing avenues that are crucial for the betterment of their careers and personalities,” the teacher said pleading anonymity.

Another woman who works in a government department said that there are numerous instances when she resisted men passing lewd remarks.

“Institutionalized harassment is ingrained in our system and many people who are at the helm of affairs always take undue advantage of women. Earlier, raising voice was considered a stigma but now people are raising their voice, and slowly the perception is changing,” she said.

Official figures reveal that the crimes against women increased by 11 percent in Jammu and Kashmir Figures reveal that 3069 cases of crimes against women were recorded in 2019 and the number rose to 3414 in 2020.

Given the increasing cases of crime against women, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has directed departments to constitute sexual harassment committees.

Dr. Piyush Singla, secretary to the government, General Administration Department told The Kashmir Monitor they have issued directions to set up local complaints committee under the sexual harassment of women in the workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act,2013.

“Every district officer shall constitute in the district concerned a committee to be known as the `Local Complaint Committee’ to receive complaints of sexual harassment from establishments where the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) has not been constituted due to having less than workers or if the complaint is against the employer itself,” he said.

Official document accessed by The Kashmir Monitor revealed that the district officer shall designate one nodal officer in every block, taluka, and tehsil in rural or tribal areas and ward or municipality in the urban area. “This will help to receive complaints and forward the same to the concerned Local Complaint Committee within seven days,” the document said.

Further, the order stated that the jurisdiction of the local complaint committee shall extend to the areas of the district where it is constituted. “Therefore, it is impressed upon all the deputy commissioners and Head of the Departments to constitute a local complaints committee at the district level.”