Incidents of Sexual Harassment at Educational Institutions in India: Preventive Measures and Grievance Handling

Abstract

Building up of a value based work culture is expected to be inherent in every educational setting. The emphasis of this research paper is to set up a preventive measure and fair procedure to develop a better and reliable organisational culture in educational institutions, free from issues of sexual harassment and exploitation. In doing so this paper will look at the recent developments in the arena of sexual harassment, the mandatory legal requirements for implementing policy that act as deterrent to and safeguard victim of sexual harassment at schools, colleges and universities. The paper highlights the imperatives that are vital for rendering executable and implementable policies, procedures and remedies. The research methodology adopted for this paper is doctrinal and sources of information are both primary and secondary which includes opinion and experience of women in educational institutions, reports and articles from books, newspapers, websites, case laws, etc. Various statute books and Bare Acts like the Indian Penal Code, 1860, Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 and The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2013 has also been referred for the study. Research attempted to understand the perception of women in educational institutions towards sexual harassment issues and identify the consequences and aftermath of incidents of sexual harassment at workplace. This paper suggests measures for effective implementation of Sexual Harassment Redressal forums in Educational Institutions as prescribed by law of land.