Taking up the cudgels against sexual offence

The allegation involving Tehelka editor- in- chief Tejpal once again shows that as women grow and rise in workplaces, so should their ability to rise against harassment in workplaces

I t has not been one year since the December 16 incident of sexual violence in New Delhi, which outraged India and led to the re- defining of sexual crimes against women and the punishment for these. And yet, depraving incidents of sexual aggression continue unabashedly and India presently has halfa- dozen high- profile cases involving people in authority.

The founder- editor of Delhi- based current- affairs weekly Tehelka allegedly assaulted and sexually abused a young journalist not once but twice in a Goa hotel lift during the ‘ Thinkfest’ event organised by the magazine. The incident came close on the heels of the claim of a young woman lawyer that she was sexually harassed last December by a recently retired Supreme Court judge with whom she was interning. Then there is the case of a prominent state chief minister under whose alleged orders a young woman architect was stalked. And if this is not enough, allegations of sexual harassment have rocked the prestigious International Film Festival of India ( IFFI) — yet again in Goa. A student of Jawaharlal Nehru University, working as a programmer with IFFI, lodged a complaint against a senior festival official of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

Frightening is the fact that the perpetrators of crimes are all educated, well- placed in life and in a position wherein they could ‘ punish’ the victims, in the eventuality of reporting about harassment. These disturbing cases of sexual harassment in the workplace, incidentally, involve senior men. The high and mighty are used to getting away with such crimes, just as the Tehelka editor might have thought. The young journalist said the editor, whom she saw as a paternal and professional mentor, had grievously violated her. In her written complaint she also mentioned that her boss had remained arrogant and had the audacity to later send her casual text messages about it.

The man, now accused of using his position of authority, had even warned the girl that surrendering to the violence was the “easiest way to keep the job”. Shockingly, the incident happened at the “Think” festival, where Tejpal’s wife and daughter were also present. The girl’s family calls it betrayal. As must have the families of 24,470 victims of rape, out of the total of 24,923 cases reported by the National Crime Records Bureau in its 2012 report. The report suggests that in 98 per cent of registered

It is frightening that perpetrators of crimes against women are educated, well- placed in life and in a position wherein they can ‘ punish’ the victims ... The Tehelka controversy has lifted the lid on one of media’s worst- kept secrets — that it may be easy for journalists to judge others, but our own workplaces can be just as hostile to women. Will the allegations of sexual misconduct against an editor, a judge, a chief minister and a government official hamper the prospect of young women getting placements in offices?

cases in the country, close relatives and acquaintances are the accused.

That Tehelka had brought sting journalism to India is true. But as stories are now tumbling out of the closet, the controversy has lifted the lid on one of media’s worstkept secrets — that it may be easy for journalists to judge others, but our own workplaces can be just as hostile to women. It is just that for long, many of us though may have been at the receiving end in some way or the other, yet have suffered in silence, not necessarily out of fear, but for the fact that both stories and careers are killed at will and the victims are often left shattered and jobless. Organisations have cleverly kept the facade of morality intact, but the touchy- feely sexual harassment, unfortunately, has always existed in newsrooms and sometimes what transpires crosses the line way too much, as in the present case.

It saddens one to realise the trauma the journalist underwent by being attacked by the person she respected, but the worst part is the cover- up and denial of justice — by a woman, the managing editor of Tehelka. Instead of fighting every woman’s battle, her response was dismaying, which left one wondering how educated people’s actions can be at such variance with their beliefs. Over and above that, the young journalist has accused the family of the editor, saying “pressure” and “intimidation” were being brought on her and her family “to protect” him. And that a member of his immediate family visited her mother, asking what the journalist “wanted” from her complaint.

The questions now being asked are: Will the allegations of sexual misconduct against an editor, a judge, a chief minister and a government official hamper the prospects of young women getting placements in offices? But the silver lining here is that the cases are getting the media coverage they deserve. The outrage the incident has generated makes it clear that men need to understand that Indian women will no longer suffer in silence. The perverts and predators should no longer live under the assumption that women will not share their horror stories. And ‘ consensual’ intimacy, which becomes the keyword when the victim confronts the assaulter, will not hold. The time when men could get away with inappropriate behaviour has passed. As women grow and rise in workplaces, so should their ability — to rise against sexual harassment in office.

Under the newly- amended law, what unfolded in Goa qualifies as rape. This means that if the sexual offence is committed by “a person who is in a position of trust or authority towards the person raped” he can face seven to ten years rigorous imprisonment, which can extend to life imprisonment. The fact that several women are standing up and raising their voice is proof that they want men to understand that their ‘ no’ does not mean ‘ yes.’ Only the inquiry into such complaints must be comprehensive, and justice swift. Such an approach will serve as a deterrent.