Tirupati: Most offices lack panels to heed sexual abuse complaints

Tirupati : Speakers at a convention on ‘sexual harassment of women at workplaces’ demanded the authorities concerned to ensure setting up of ‘internal complaints committee’ in all offices and establishments, where the number of women working is more than 10, to look into the cases of sexual harassment of women at workplaces. The convention was held under the aegis of CITU here on Thursday.

The speakers said that ‘internal complaints committees (ICC)’ were not set up in most offices including private establishments to look into the incidents of harassment of women while the committee set up in some offices remained non-functional.

Anganwadi Workers Union leader Vanisri said though women harassment at workplaces increased, the aggrieved due to various reasons were unable to complain and the absence of ICC adding more to their problem. Some women do not want to complain fearing that it would cost their job, she said. Women auto drivers Nagamani and Dhanalakshmi stated that women running autos also faces sexual harassment from other workers and some miscreants but were afraid of not complaining, fearing repercussions.

A government teacher Avanigadda Padmaja said the women teachers are also not free from sexual harassment and the aggrieved are silently bearing the agony with the ICC or district-level committee being ineffective.

CITU district general secretary Kandarapu Murali said a delegation of women from various sectors will meet the district Collector on September 30, to put pressure for setting up of ICC and also Local Committee to take up the cases of sexual harassment. He said the CITU will take up awareness programmes for women on `Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplaces (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act’ to sensitise them on the available options under the Act for redressal in case of sexual harassment. Several women from about 23 sectors participated in the convention.