AWARENESS AMONGST WORKING PROFESSIONALS ABOUT SEXUAL HARASSMENT OF WOMEN AT WORKPLACE (PREVENTION, PROHIBITION AND REDRESSAL) ACT, 2013

Bhawari Devi, in 1992 was gang raped by five men as she tried to prevent a child marriage.  This case opened a new avenue for the females who otherwise used to keep mum on the cases of harassment against them many a times even of sexual nature.  A female employee would be denied promotion as she denied sexual favour to her boss. Many a times, some female employees would face embarrassment when their colleague would make a sexually coloured remarks on them.  Many such events went unheard and women suffered in silence.  Vishaka guidelines drafted after Bhawari devi case and which later got a face of an act as Sexual Harassment of women at workplace (Prevention, prohibition and redressal) Act, 2013 was a welcome change for women like a savior in times of difficulties.

Many cases have been addressed under this act but still the many cases have not been reported or many have not been resolved for years together.  Also, another aspect to the law is the reports have come about women taking undue advantage of the provisions in the case and reporting cases against individuals with ‘malicious intentions’.  This paper explores whether employees are aware about the act, provisions in the act as well as punishment against malicious or false complaints.