The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Support systems failed her

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Monday, Aug 27, 2007
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Karnataka - Bangalore

Support systems failed her

Karnataka Bureau

‘Shylaja Praveen appealed to many but help was not forthcoming’

71 cases of sexual harassment were reported in 2005
Of these, 39 were from Bangalore

BANGALORE: Ending her life may have been the only way out for Shylaja Praveen, a 24-year-old employee of ING Vysya Financial Services who committed suicide on Saturday.

However, it now appears that the few support systems that could have come to her aid, failed her. To begin with, she complained to two senior colleagues who did not view the problem with the seriousness it deserved.

She met the chairperson of the State Women’s Commission twice, promising to lodge a formal complaint after talking to her superiors.

That did not happen. Her family too did not realise the gravity of the issue.

“It is evident that she had appealed to a number of people in her workplace but no efforts seem to have been made to help her.

“The Supreme Court judgment in the Vishaka case clearly states that it is the responsibility of the employer to provide a safe working environment for women and the onus to do that lies on the organisation they are working with. In Shylaja’s case her employers failed to ensure a safe working environment,” says Donna Fernandes, Director of Vimochana, a Bangalore-based women’s rights group.

She added that of late the work environment is becoming hostile for women and there are increasing reports of sexual harassment at the workplace. “But sadly most of them are dismissed or not taken seriously,” Ms. Donna said.

The Karnataka State Women’s Commission receives on an average two cases of sexual harassment a month. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, 71 cases of sexual harassment were reported from Karnataka in 2005, of which 39 were from Bangalore.

“We had asked all employers to give us details about their complaints committee and around 80 organisations had furnished us with information. We have written to other organisations who have not contacted us yet,” Pramila Nesargi, chairperson of the Commission, said.

But many of the committees do not follow the guideline that one person on the committee must be from outside the organisation.

Redressal panels

Though a sizable number of industries in the organised sector (including apparently the one for which Ms. Praveen worked) have set up redressal committees, the question is how many of them handle sexual harassment cases seriously, asks K.S. Vimala, convenor of the women’s wing of the Karnataka Pradesh Bank Employees Federation.

“With or without the committee, the employer has to ensure security and safety of a woman employer. It should be underscored that she had repeatedly complained to her higher-ups,” she added. The federation is staging a dharna on Monday in front of the bank branch where Ms. Praveen worked.

Ms. Vimala also pointed out that contractualisation of employment is an important factor that makes employees more vulnerable. “Absence of job security has a spiralling effect and a woman becomes vulnerable to many kinds of exploitation,” she said, observing that Ms. Praveen was a contract employee.

International Labour Organisation’s “Global Report on Discrimination at the Workplace” says that in the Indian work environment women seldom complain against sexual harassment fearing retaliation or the loss of income or feelings of shame. “The number of reported cases is only the tip of the iceberg,” the report observes. The Sexual Harassment of Women at the Workplace (Prohibition, Prevention and Redressal) Bill, 2006 has not been passed by Parliament as yet.

Absconding

Meanwhile, one of the two male colleagues of Shylaja Praveen is absconding while the other is being questioned. Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Alok Kumar said the police have not yet got proof of harassment caused by ING Vysya Financial Services’ Basavanagudi branch’s regional head Bharath, the one absconding. The police have arrested Prashanth, the other accused, who they suspect was also pressuring Ms. Praveen. Their inquiry has revealed that Mr. Prashanth and Ms. Praveen had recently quarrelled.

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