Women Harassment Prevention Cell

Policy Document

As per the Honorable Supreme Courts’ decision, the educational institutions/ universities are required to form a prevention of sexual harassment cell/ committee for protecting women employees and girl students against possible harassment at work place. The court defined sexual harassment very clearly as well as provided mandatory guidelines known as “Vishaka Guidelines” for employers to redress and prevent sexual harassment at workplace. The guidelines are a broad framework which put emphasis on prevention and one important preventive measure is to adopt a sexual harassment policy which prohibits sexual harassment at work place and provide effective grievance procedure.

In deference to the aforesaid guidelines, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur is committed to providing and promoting an atmosphere in which employees can realize their potentials in a safe, congenial positive and productive environment, by making the workplace free from sexual harassment. The policy is directed to ensure zero tolerance towards verbal, psychological conduct of a sexual nature by any employee that directly or indirectly harasses, disrupts or interferes with another’s work performance or that creates an intimidating, offensive or hostile environment. Focus should be to ensure that all allegations of sexual harassment are investigated and dealt with effectively, appropriately as well as promptly.

Scope- The policy applies to all employees and students and all office premises.

Guidelines- It is necessary for all employees/ students to follow this policy and the guidelines formulated herein. Sexual harassment at workplace will be deemed to be a violation/ breach of terms of employment, and a criminal offence in addition to violation of gender equality guaranteed under the constitution.

Definition of Sexual Harassment

According to The Supreme Court definition sexual harassment is any unwelcome sexually determined behavior such as-

physical contact

A demand or request for sexual favors

Sexually colored remarks

Showing pornography

Any other physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature.




Sexual harassment takes place if a person:

Subjects another person to an unwelcome act of physical intimacy, like grabbing, brushing, touching, pinching etc.

Makes an unwelcome demand or request (whether directly or by implication) for sexual favors from another person, and further makes it a condition for employment / wages/ increment/ promotion etc.

Makes an unwelcome remark with sexual connotations, like sexually explicit compliments/ cracking loud jokes with sexual connotations/ making sexist remarks etc.

Shows a person any sexually explicit visual material, in the form of pictures/ cartoons/ pin-ups/ calendars/ screen savers on computers/ any offensive written material/ pornographic emails etc.

Engages in any other unwelcome conduct of sexual nature, which could be verbal, or even non- verbal, like staring to make the other person uncomfortable, making offensive gestures, kissing sounds, etc.

Quid pro quo and hostile work environment are the two broad types of sexual harassment. Quid pro quo means seeking sexual favors or advances in exchange for work benefit. ‘Hostile work environment ‘is more pervasive form of sexual harassment involving work conditions or behavior that makes the work environment hostile for the woman to be in.

It is just illustrative not complete.

Reporting of Sexual Harassment Allegations

Persons who believe that they have been victims of sexual harassment should report the incident (s) immediately to the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Complaint Committee as set forth below.

Confidentiality

The University will do everything consistent with enforcement of this policy and with the law to protect the privacy of the individuals involved and to ensure that the complaints are treated fairly. Information will be kept strictly confidential.

Assurance Against Retaliation

This policy seeks to encourage all employees/students to express freely, responsibly about any problem or complaint of sexual harassment. Retaliation against persons who report or provide information about sexual harassment is also strictly prohibited. Any act of reprisal violates this policy and will result in appropriate disciplinary actions.

Reporting Channel

Any employee/student who wants to report or complain should write about the situation to the prevention of sexual harassment complaints committee or any member thereof established for the purpose. The names, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses of the committee members are given below:

S.No.	Name	Department	Mobile	Email ID
1	Prof. Reeta Venugopal ( Chairperson)	Director,CWS,Pt.RSU,Raipur	9425515951	[email protected]
2	Prof. Aditi (Niyogi) Poddar (Member)	Associate Director, CWS,Pt.RSU,Raipur	9826643763	[email protected]
3	Prof.Priyamvada Srivastava(Member)	Associate Director, CWS,Pt.RSU,Raipur	9425517387	[email protected]
4	Prof.A.K.Shrivastava (Member)	Proctor, Prof. in Management,Pt.RSU,Raipur	9424215539	[email protected]
5	Dr.Priya Rao(Member)	Asst Prof.,SoS in Law,Pt.RSU,Raipur	9425207453	[email protected]
6	Prof. Meetashri Mitra (Member)	SoS in Anthropology,Pt.RSU,Raipur	9425207354	[email protected]
7	Dr. Usha Dubey, (Member)	Retd. Prof. SoS in Economics,Pt.RSU,Raipur & President , Shakti (NGO)Raipur	9826182799	[email protected]