‘MAKING FALSE COMPLAINTS IS ALSO ACTIONABLE’

The number of sexual harassment cases in India have risen dramatically. When sexual harassment complaints are raised against one individual, other women also join in when they know a complaint has been raised, and share their own experiences. Sexual harassment of men does not figure in the Prevention of Sexual Harassment at the Workplace Act. Also, when it comes to males, there are also some major problems in the Indian environment. Many males are not aware of what constitutes sexual harassment. For example, unwelcome advance can be gawking or staring at a woman making her uncomfortable. Now this can be cited as a complaint of sexual harassment and the male does not think that this is a case of harassment as he has not even touched a woman. Education and awareness campaigns are central to ensuring the success of prevention of sexual harassment at the workplace. Most companies have constituted the ICC i.e. the Internal Complaints Committee. But many of the individuals working in companies do not know of their rights as well as the risks they face. Making false complaints is also actionable. However, if a person could not prove her complaint of sexual harassment, it would not be construed as a case of sexual harassment. In several companies, sexual harassment complaints have been lodged when the appraisal has not been satisfactory. This is another sticky issue for companies to sift the facts from fiction and false complaints.