Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace

Sexual harassment of women at workplace is neither new nor a rare issue, yet it is not reported or even talked about enough. By looking at present scenario women at their workplace are more prone to this violence because of the nature of their jobs which involves high interaction with their colleagues. India, on this issue, is a late entrant in formalising sexual harassment as a penal punishable offence. In 1997 S.C. through Vishaka V. State of Rajasthan held that sexual harassment of women is violation of two utmost fundamental rights guaranteed by Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Indian Constitution. Later on India finally enacted its laws on prevention of such harassment as “The Protection of Women Against Sexual Harassment at Workplace Bill, 2010”and“Sexual Harassment of women at workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 by which government intended to put a break on such sexual harassment of women and Criminal Law (Amendment)Act,2013”which included section 354A IPC, 1860 that define sexual harassment and prescribed a penalty of 3 years imprisonment with or without fine. But recent data generated by government indicates that there has been a raise in sexual harassment and a number of complaints relating to it at work place have seen an upsurge. This paper is therefore an attempt to explain the sexual harassment in current scenario with its legal status and how organizations can help in maintaining the dignity of a woman.