Empowerment vs Harassment

Aakaar Films • May 17, 2020

The force with-in

Awareness, Prevention, Action against

Sexual Harassment at Workplace

Generations before and Generations beyond, the power struggle is a continuum, taking a much more complex structure in this century, across the globe.

How do we define power struggle in an Indian context? Is it a Man vs Woman aspect, or is it YOU (in bold for the more powerful) versus Me (-ek less powerful), or is it beyond any definite definition?

Let us look around our scenarios of spaces, both with-in and outside environs. Harassment termed sexual is a serious problem across all genders, with the pendulum gravitating more towards women in India. It constitutes of poor understanding of what constitutes sexual harassment, both at societal and organizational level.

POSH says..

Prevention of Sexual Harassment (Prevention, Prohibition, Redressal) Act of 2013 was a landmark legal law that changed the Indian landscape, especially in the work spaces for women. It made it mandatory for organizations to create a safe and secure environmental space for working women, known as Vishaka guidelines created by Supreme Court of India, after a long drawn legal battle over rape of an Indian social development worker.

POSH act is specifically designed to benefit women, but the work spaces that have evolved in India, are geared up towards gender neutral workshops.

Awareness, Prevention, Action is defined…

Solving the issue by raising awareness of Sexual Harassment and methodologies that enable empowerment on the subject to TAKE ACTION. The effectiveness can be by various methodologies, but as in Indian context the audio-visual medium remains one of the most powerful mediums of Direct communication to create Awareness, Prevention, Action against ABUSE of any kind, but more specifically Sexual Intimidation or Sexual Harassment, especially at work spaces.

Women, who are the main stakeholders/ bearers of sexual harassment, may not even be aware of it happening, unless it is extremely upfront and gross. Men equally bear the brunt, but can still be categorized in a rare category. Other genders equal the unawareness and harassment faced by women.

But before any gender can start defending themselves, they need a deeper understanding and knowledge of this phenomenon, as it is very ingrained in a women’s life – that she has to demand respect, otherwise she will/may not receive it from the men around her.

In India, #MeToo has evoked a wildfire of awareness amongst all genders, but a deeper understanding on empowerment and awareness of harassment, is the only way forward for action. Approach to empowerment legal and social, is the first step towards prevention of sexual harassment.

Audio-Visual storytelling….in India, for Indians, by Indians

Sexual harassment at workplace has many defining points, but they are very broad classification/s for any gender’s basic understanding. Women at workplace must understand how and when she feels “not safe,” in her work space, as the harassment can range from as subtle as a smile or as gross as physical intimidation.

SH Act has made it mandatory for employers to have a Anti Sexual Harassment Policy (ICC), Conduct workshops for training and sensitization of employees, submit reports of conducting such workshops etc., These workshops include various elements to create awareness, training and sensitization, where Audio-Visual plays a very powerful medium of communication.

It is mostly noted, that, the Audio-Visuals presented in the workshops have a very western set-up, where characterization, spaces and harassment are in a different context, not related to the Indian milieu of surroundings and social context. This creates a disconnect with the audience, as it makes them feel that “this happens there, not here.”

Also, we must understand that India does not live in metro cities, but constitutes mostly of small cities and towns classified as B,C or D. Thus, the AV set-up must contain contents and set-up related to these surroundings. It also makes an easier understanding for women who have migrated for working in metros, belonging to these cities and towns.

As a Film maker working on Gender and Children based films, it is impertinent that we present audio-visual material/s related to Indian concept of – “Me & You”, instead of “Them.”

Understanding and awareness for prevention – Indian context

India is a land of story tellers. We like to tell and hear stories, more so that speaks to us about ourselves and then about others, thus creating a safe environment of an impactful message dissemination in the Indian context.

We must also understand that, an Indian women/ girl child are raised in a very different environment than the West. She is extremely protected (most times to the point of suffocating her freedom) by her family, mostly is sent to “all girls school and college,” is often tracked on her social engagements (friends, outings etc.,), limited knowledge of sex education, intimate liaison with male gender is not accepted as a rule (this does not include sexual intimacy at all), female vs male demarcations are very clear with latter being the preferred gender…there are many more such contexts that can be detailed.

We need to begin by creating messaging through empowering women in her work space by educating her on various terms of sexual harassment in her work space, based on her sensibilities and sensitivity of her upbringing in an Indian household – as, everything begins at home, for both genders.