Why an anonymous list of sexual predators exists

Idon’t like anonymous lists, that is lists that purport to name sexual predators compiled by one person on the say-so of other unnamed persons. I don’t like them because I like old school journalism (attribute, get-the-other-side, verify). But mainly I don’t like them because I believe that women are better and must be better.

Having said that, I get why such a list exists. I get the rage, need to let off steam and just get even with the s-o-b.

And don’t even get me started on ‘due process’.

Here’s what happens: The woman complains that her boss has itchy fingers. If she’s lucky, her place of work will have an internal committee (IC) and get cracking. If she’s part of the 90% that works in the unorganised sector, then her tale of woe ends right here.

When the IC summons her, here’s what it could ask – these are actual questions -do you drink, do you have a boyfriend, do you go to the Press Club?

In January this year, a survey by the Indian National Bar Association of found that 68% of victims avoided reporting workplace sexual harassment.

It’s easy to see why. India’s test cases from TERI to Greenpeace India are a broken trail of twisted justice and disillusionment. In almost every case that I am aware of, the woman has quit. As a ‘troublemaker’, she will find it hard to get a job within the profession.

Many companies – MNCS are better off – remain oblivious about what constitutes sexual harassment. A 2015 EY-FICCI survey found that 46% of companies surveyed did not have online training modules for new employees.

When Maneka Gandhi, minister for women and child development, suggested that companies be required to disclose whether they were compliant with the Sexual Harassment law, her cabinet colleagues told her that it would ‘require too much disclosure’.

And then they wonder why women are angry.

In the West, women are standing up and proclaiming, “J’accuse,” against powerful entertainment and media moghuls. In India, women who speak up are hounded out of jobs. I know of two who tried to kill themselves.

Still wonder what makes us angry? When powerful men accused of sexual harassment by multiple women file defamation suits to the tune of Rs one crore against one of his accusers and her lawyer, there is a chilling effect.

Still wonder why we are furious? When we know women do not report sexual harassment because they fear reprisal and companies do nothing to change the toxic masculinity that infects their places of work, do you wonder at all why we are mad?

There’s a list of 58 alleged academic predators out there. I’m sad it’s there. I disapprove of it. But I am not surprised that it exists.