OVERVIEW
Change is the second name of life. In this continuously changing society, the recent trend of #METOO came with so many impacts and new changes for the women and the companies that employ women.
The Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act, 2013 aims to protect women from the acts of Sexual harassment that takes at the workplace. Because of which the women remain silent and somehow give motivation to the sexual offenders at large.
As we all know, there are always two sides to the same coin. You cannot judge the whole incident by only hearing the one-sided story by a single party. Every establishment or a Company for settling such issues sets an ICC (Internal Complaint Committee). This ICC will help in easily resolving the disputes within the company without hampering the image of the company in the market.
The role of this committee is to hear both sides of the party and decide on the principles of Natural justice. It is the need of the hour of every establishment to provide its employees with a sense of security and awareness of their rights.
PRESENT SCENARIO (#METOO):
Some people meant the #METOO movement is only for women. It included those who were going through acts of Sexual harassment at the workplace. It completely aimed at protecting women. But the term harassment does not restrain only to a woman. Any person could become the victim of Sexual harassment.
But, it is the nuisance in our legal system that says only women are the victims of Sexual harassment. It gives men a different status and states that “Men are not sexually harassed, but they become subject to harassment in other ways.”
Sexual harassment is not an act that takes place only on the premises of an office or any workplace. Rather, the employees of the company can be held liable for committing the act of sexual harassment even after office.
It is high time now when we all need to realize the importance of Gender Sensitization and provide women with an equal sense of dignity and respect.
CONCLUSION:
In today’s modern developing world, women are equal contributors. It includes the sectors of energy, resources, skills, and so on. The system should provide them with a safe environment to work in so that the economy of the country can grow. They should take serious steps against the action of the accused so we can generate the trust of the people in the company.
By showing faith and sympathy with the victim and by avoiding the acts of body shaming, vague comments we can help in building a safer work environment.
It is high time when we need to believe what a woman shares rather than asking. Not every woman is sexually harassed; some women use it as a weapon against their employers and employees. In the light of which, everyone sees the actual victims with an eye of a suspect.
Hence, for avoiding such incidents ICC is necessary. It will help in enquiring every thread of the incident and it can make justice to either of the parties.
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