An Internal complaint committee (ICC) is constituted to prevent, prohibit, and redress sexual harassment in the workplace. Sexual harassment is a discriminatory and unwelcome behaviour of a sexual nature. It includes whether directly or by implication, namely:
- Any unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature,
- Demand or request for sexual favours,
- Making sexually coloured remarks,
- Physical contact and advances,
- Showing pornography
- Offering benefits for a sexual favour
- Unwanted sexual advances
- Threats of retaliation to ‘No’
- Visual conduct or suggestive gestures
- Verbal conduct or derogatory (offensive) comments
- Physical conduct or body positioning or touching
When rejection of or submission to such behaviour is used/capable of being used as a threat to the employment/academic performance/career progression of women, it becomes a clear case of sexual harassment. When such unwelcome behaviour creates a hostile, intimidating or offensive work/study environment, and interferes with the work/academic performance of women, it certainly is sexual harassment.
Consequences of Sexual Harassment
- If the offender is an employee then he or she shall be punished in accordance with the service rules of the Institute.
- If the offender is a student then the following punishments may be given based on the severity of the offence:
- Withhold privileges of the student such as access to the library, auditoria, halls of residence, transportation, scholarships, allowances, and identity card.
- Suspend or restrict entry into the campus for a specific period.
- Expel and strike-off name from the rolls of the institution, including denial of readmission, if the offence so warrants.
- Award reformative punishments like mandatory counselling and, or, performance of community services.
- Treat sexual harassment as a violation of the disciplinary rules (leading up to rustication {bans his or her admission in any institute for a certain period} and expulsion {debars a student from being readmitted to the institute}) if the guilty is a student.
- The aggrieved person is entitled to the payment of compensation. The HEI shall issue directions for payment of the compensation recommended by the ICC and accepted by the Executive Authority, which shall be recovered from the offender. The compensation payable shall be determined on the basis of:
- Mental trauma, pain, suffering, and distress caused to the aggrieved person.
- The loss of career opportunities due to the incident of sexual harassment.
- The medical expenses incurred by the victim for physical, and psychiatric treatment.
- The income and status of the alleged perpetrator and victim.
- The feasibility of such payment in lump sum or in instalments.
- The malicious intent on the part of the complainant shall not be established without an inquiry in accordance with the procedure prescribed, conducted before any action is recommended.
In the Incident of Sexual Harassment Reach Out to:
E-Mail: iccommittee@sjpi.edu.in
Important Links:
UGC (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal of Sexual Harassment of Women Employees and Students in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations 2015