Do you remember any instance at your workplace where a woman filed a complaint of sexual harassment? What happened after that? Did she continue working as before? Was she welcomed and greeted the same as before by her colleagues? Did she leave the company? Did she become distant? Did other women hesitate to come forward to complain?

I’ll tell you the truth backed by facts.

According to the ‘Safe Places to Work’ Survey 2019, 27% of the women claimed to have faced some form of Sexual Harassment. The women who took the survey have experienced Sexual Harassment at least once in 3 days during their employment life cycle. Although the survey responses were anonymous, yet more than 62% of the participants chose not to reveal the harasser’s profile. 

It is not difficult to file a complaint. The difficulties lie in what comes after filing a complaint. For instance, a research paper published by the The Economic Times mentioned that close to 80% of women were aware of policies against sexual harassment at the workplace. However, almost 30% of women still hesitate to complain to the internal committee about such incidents. Moreover, more than half of the respondents surveyed would not or are not sure about continuing to work in the same place where the incident of sexual harassment occurred.

But why do women hesitate to come forward?

Why Women Stay Silent About Sexual Harassment

• Sometimes the action is part of the problem: Women face not only the disproportionate experience of sexual harassment but also have to bear the burden of speaking the truth. Suddenly, from being an employee, she becomes ‘the girl who got sexually harassed’. When colleagues see women as victims and do not extend their support, then action inevitably becomes part of the problem. And maybe, that is why women never come forward to complain.
• You are asking someone to share their deepest pain: Women who go through such a traumatic incident experience a huge wave of emotions. They get bewildered, depressed, and anxious. Their whole life turns upside down. Colleagues and members of the IC must be careful of the fact that they are asking women to share their deepest pain. One wrong comment can add more to the existing torment for her.
• They ask insensitive and insensible questions: Sometimes, members of the IC and colleagues ask questions regarding the incidents in a way that is extremely insensitive. Asking questions is not wrong. Of course, it is a part of the procedure and essential for the women to speak about it. But the concern here is the tone, manner, and language of the questions that are asked. The questions should be empathetic and carefully drafted so that women do not feel uncomfortable in answering them. Importantly, one needs to be a careful listener.

What Actually Happens After Women Come Forward?

Two sides of the coin:

• Breaking Point (Sets an example for other women)

When women come forward to complain about instances of sexual harassment and further investigation is conducted, after following due process, they feel confident and safe that the Internal Committee will act appropriately and in accordance with the law. 

Also, when the colleagues are supportive and display empathy, the aggrieved woman does not have an increased sense of victimization and isolation.

If all the procedures are carried out fairly, women will definitely come forward to complain without any hesitation. And in turn, this will foster a safe working environment for all employees.

• Retaliation (Loss of opportunities, friends, time, income)

The fear of retaliation or victimization causes most women to avoid filing a complaint. 

Retaliation can take many forms – sometimes they will be denied important projects and assignments. They may also be asked to report earlier than necessary and stay back late, without any work justification.  In extreme cases, they might be forced to leave the organization. 

Moreover, women also feel alienated because of the unsupportive behaviour of their colleagues simply because, ‘they do not want to get into a mess’ [sic]. Another factor is when women go through such incidents; there are a series of investigations and procedures to follow. Most of their time is spent in following up on the proceedings of the complaints.

What Does It Take to Stop Sexual Harassment at Workplaces?

• The Pursuit of Effective Training

While there has been abundant research about evaluating the effectiveness of training programs related to sexual harassment, there is still work to be done to implement it. Employees must learn about company policies, PoSH law, procedures to file complaints, and appropriate and inappropriate behaviour of all the employees.

• The Quest for Rebuilding Workplace Culture

There are a lot of risks involved when the workplace lacks gender diversity, as men dominate the workplace culture, and women are significantly outnumbered by them. Moreover, women should be provided with training and opportunities to handle critical projects. Also, they should be hired in leadership positions to foster a respectful work culture. 

• A Responsible Internal Committee

Women who face retaliation are not instantly fired. However, their lives at the workplace become so difficult that they end up quitting. At some workplaces, the desks of the aggrieved women or their usual seating place are changed when they file a sexual harassment complaint. The Internal Committee should be responsible for ensuring that retaliatory behaviour does not happen to a woman who files a complaint.

We, at Rainmaker, are poised to help build safer workplaces through our training modules that are designed for employees, managers & IC members. If your organization is not PoSH compliant, you can request a training program. Make your workplace free from sexual harassment.

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