The wait is nearly over for domestic workers and women in the unorganised sector who have had to suffer sexual harassment at their workplaces in silence for years. With the Lok Sabha giving its nod for the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Bill, 2010 they are closer to their goal of approaching the authorities for justice and receiving it. Presently, those in the unorganised sector are not covered by service rules if they are employed by units with less than 10 workers.
But now the newly approved Bill makes it clear that even employers who have less than 10 people working for them, will be answerable to a Local Complaints Committee constituted by the district officer at the block, taluk and tehsil levels in rural areas and in wards and in the municipalities in urban areas.
Even better, if found guilty the employer can be fined upto Rs 50,000 and may even lose his licence to do business in case of a repeated offence. The victim of the sexual harassment may be compensated depending on the kind of mental trauma, pain, and emotional distress she may have undergone or if she has lost a career opportunity as a result of it. Her medical expenses for physical or psychiatric treatment and the income and financial status of her abuser too will be taken into account when deciding the compensation due to her .
To make sure that women are not intimidated and come forward to complain, the Bill lays down that “a mere inability to substantiate a complaint or provide adequate proof need not attract action against the complainant.” But if the complaint is false or malicious or if the complainant has produced a forged or misleading document, action can be taken against her too.