"Unnecessary grazing of your shoulders, constant inappropriate remarks, being overly friendly and trying to touch inappropriately," Neha [name changed], a Mumbai-based working professional said while talking about workplace harassment.
The 26-year-old, who works in a multinational company, told BW Businessworld that speaking out against harassment often poses a daunting challenge, as the perpetrator is frequently a high-ranking executive. Confronting them can be perceived as a rebuke to the organisation itself, making it difficult for victims to come forward.
Notably, this power dynamic silences many, allowing harassment to persist. Neha added, "So, from now on, if someone tells you that workplace harassment is a myth, tell them it is a fact. Period.” In India, women across the spectrum frequently encounter harassment, both at home and in the workplace. Movements like #MeToo have encouraged many to share their experiences, with a Deloitte study revealing that 46 per cent of Indian respondents acknowledge this issue.
According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), over 445,000 crime cases were reported against women in 2022, marking a 12.9 per cent increase since 2018. The National Family Health Survey found that nearly one-third of women aged 15 to 49 have experienced violence. Alarmingly, the Red Dot Foundation notes that 80 per cent of sexual assaults go unreported, leading to significant gaps in data collection.
In an interview with BW People in October 2023, Antony Alex, founder and CEO of Rainmaker said that one cannot eliminate the menace of sexual harassment at the workplace by simply educating the workforce on the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) Law, rather an overall change in mindset is required.
Alex added, “This change can only be brought about by a change in culture that focuses on respectful behaviour towards colleagues by sensitising managers on appropriate behaviour towards their team, understanding, respecting and complying with the law of the land as well as an organisation's internal code of conduct. In general, the focus has to be on creating an environment that values a culture of compliance.”
Concerning Situation Across Spectrum
On the night of 9 August, a trainee doctor at a Kolkata-based government R G Kar medical college was brutely raped and killed. Down South, an alleged high-profile sex scandal case in the Malayalam film industry based on the Hema committee report emphasised the need to tackle these issues promptly.
Notably, Unicef identified six ways technology can help combat gender-based violence: prevention, peer support, creating safe spaces, safeguarding individuals, providing guidance, and facilitating responses. According to the experts, while proactive measures are essential, they must be coupled with effective emergency response systems.
“I quit wrestling,” said a teary-eyed Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik in December 2023 after Sanjay Singh was elected president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). Singh is a close aide of former WFI head Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has been accused of sexual harassment. Soon after, the sports ministry suspended the newly-elected body amidst the nationwide uproar.
A controversy erupted after several high-profile sportspersons levelled allegations against Singh, a Bharatiya Janata Party MP. Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia returned his Padma Shri award as a mark of protest. Vinesh Phogat decided to give back her Khel Ratna and Arjuna awards to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. These protests come at a point in history when India has a woman President and many women in leadership roles in spheres as diverse as politics, the corporate sector and academia. Yet many others falter in an unjust world.
In his post-budget webinar on ‘Economic Empowerment of Women’ in March 2023, PM Modi said, “The results of efforts for women empowerment are visible and we are feeling a revolutionary change in the social life of the country.” True though that statement is, as Malik and her peers found, victims do not always find sympathy. Many bridges still need to be crossed if women are truly to become equal partners in India’s growth story.
What Is India Inc Doing?
In the modern workplace, fostering a culture of respect and safety is paramount and preventing sexual harassment is a critical component of this effort. Organisations in India are taking innovative approaches to educate their employees and management on the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) Law.
Experts noted that technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics can help make workplaces in India safe and compliant as they assist in gathering information and employee feedback, collate incident reports and help spot early signs of sexual harassment cases.
Alex in the interview said, “Automation tools can help HR teams streamline documentation, tracking progress and create case reports. Auditing can be made simpler and quicker using AI tools, to ensure fast-tracked outcomes. It is important to balance the use of technology with human intervention, especially in sensitive cases of sexual harassment to make colleagues feel like they are being seen and heard and that swift action is being taken.”
In India, companies like Hera Global Tech and Leaf Wearables are developing technologies that incorporate algorithms to detect high-risk situations. Hera’s products, ‘Abel’ and 'Volition', can intuitively recognise dangerous scenarios based on user responses and alert designated contacts for assistance. Similarly, Leaf Wearables produces smart jewellery, such as the Safer device, which can trigger alarms or send distress signals to pre-programmed contacts. Apart from it, there are several other apps including Eyewatch SOS for women and Letstrack, that help in tracking and communicating about potential danger.
Phronetic.AI has also innovated by embedding women-specific safety features into CCTV systems. Their technology utilises Human Action Recognition (HAR) to identify suspicious behaviours in real time, allowing for quicker responses to potential threats. Its Chief Executive Officer, Rajesh Kumar said that AI Facility Manager is designed to help organisations enhance operational efficiency by integrating AI into their existing CCTV systems.
“We quickly integrated a ‘Women Safety’ feature into our AI Facility Manager. This enhancement uses Human Action Recognition (HAR) technology to detect and analyse suspicious behaviour in real-time, enabling faster responses to potential threats. The system not only flags unusual behaviour but also generates detailed reports, supporting post-incident analysis and legal investigations, further strengthening security measures,” Kumar added.
Recently Telangana Police started T-Safe, a ride-monitoring service for women's and children's safety. Available via dialling 100 or 112, it allows users to share travel details for police monitoring during their journeys.
Last year, the Supreme Court (India) overturned a Gauhati High Court decision that nullified a penalty order in a sexual harassment case involving a female colleague. The penalty, withholding 50 per cent of the respondent's pension, was imposed due to disciplinary proceedings initiated against the respondent, who served as the Area Organizer of the Service Selection Board in Assam from 2006 to 2012.
A female employee filed a complaint alleging sexual harassment by the respondent, which led to the penalty. The top court restored the penalty, emphasising that perpetrators of sexual harassment must face legal consequences. Allowing aggressors to go unpunished can cause significant stress to victims. The Supreme Court deemed the High Court's decision an "egregious error," highlighting the importance of taking sexual harassment allegations seriously and ensuring perpetrators are held accountable.
Meanwhile, despite technological progress, women often hesitate to report harassment due to stigma. Safecity offers a confidential reporting platform, visualising data for community awareness and policymaking while using mobile apps to create safety scores for informed decision-making.
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