Dear JC,You’ve raised some pertinent questions, which would be best answered by
Mayabhushan, but here are my two cents.1. The story does not carry quotes from
the ‘victim’ and ‘perpetrator’ but it is insufficient to prove that Mayabhushan
has not spoken to (or known) them. However, quotes do lend a story a certain
credibility.2. As we have seen, time and again, news of such incidents only
cause the woman victim untold grief. There is curiosity about her identity,
character and antecedents, and even before a formal complaint has been filed,
the jury is out and her name is made mud. Whether she is rendered unemployable
is anyone’s guess. The ‘perpetrator’ on the other hand, is let off with a
school masterly warning, not to mention a promising career.
3. But the good news is that the law does not regard such impediments as
loosely as balcao talk.The Sexual Harassment of Women at the Workplace
(Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, defines sexual harassment as
acts (direct or implied) like: (i) physical contact and advances involving
unwelcome and explicit sexual overtures; or(ii) a demand or request for sexual
favours; or(iii) showing pornography against the will of a woman; or(iv) making
sexually coloured remarks; or(v) any other unwelcome physical, verbal or
non-verbal conduct of sexual nature.
Punishment: 1-3 years of simple or rigorous imprisonment.
4. Under the above Act, organisations are supposed to appoint their own
Internal Complaints Committees, but in case they haven’t, the complainant can
approach the Local Complaints Committee appointed by the District Magistrate or
Collector. If she is unable to come forward and write out a complaint, the
Local Committee is supposed to assist her with it.
4. But as we’ve seen, stigma and humiliation (heaped by both men and women in
society) deters women victims of sexual abuse from filing formal complaints.
Our courts are also to blame for the shoddy and insensitive manner in which
they handle these victims during proceedings. But good news, once again, comes
as the Supreme Court’s judgement in B C Deva versus State of Karnataka, 2007,
which puts the version of a rape victim above material evidence in proving the
crime.
Regards,Reena
> From: cola...@gmail.com
> Date: Sun, 16 Aug 2015 07:31:20 -0400
> To: goa...@goanet.org
> CC: goa-book-c...@googlegroups.com
> Subject: [Goanet] Sexual harassment case at Goa Cable News Channel takes a
> 'Tehelka' turn
>
> I am sure that every reasonable person among us (and the 'lady in question')
> would want to file a complaint and bring the perpetrator to justice. I hope
> there is a fair structure for this to happen.
>
> My concern, however, is related to the manner of Mayabhushan's intervention.
> Here are my questions:
>
> 1: Do MB and the alleged perpetrator or alleged victim know each other,
> personally?
> 2: Has this publicity helped or hurt the alleged victim financially,
> emotionally and socially?
> 3: Has it damaged her chances of securing future employment elsewhere ?
>
> jc
