Our everyday routine is to get up early and go to work. We work hard and toil ourselves at work because we need money for our sustenance! But if you are not treated well physically or mentally at your workplace, your life becomes a misery and hence question arises at your sustenance.
Exploitation physically or mentally is injurious, cause life threatening circumstances hence it has become a major social and economic issue in this present scenario of India. Physical harassment is a very unwelcoming sexual behavior of a person that’s humiliating, intimidating and offensive. Sexual exploitation at workplace is a universal problem in the world defined in 1997. The Supreme Court has issued a set of guidelines called the Vishaka Guidelines by the Supreme Court. Cases against women is common everywhere. It is seen to be more happening with the female gender as they are considered to be the most vulnerable section of the society these days. But we cannot also ignore men in this regard.
Crime has no gender and neither should laws. Women commit crime for the same reasons that men do. According to 2010 survey conducted by Economic Times-Synovate, “men are as vulnerable to sexual harassment as women”. In a recent study it was found that out of 222 Indian men surveyed, 16.1% had been coerced into having sex.There are several statistics showing that men rape is wider than generally presumed. But Indian men are supposed to take everything in stride and act as “mards” do not feel comfortable enough to complain. Also the fear of women wrongly implicating the men has a backward effect on them and the idea of women exploiting men is still considered unethical in Indian society, hence making it less important for men.
The #MeToo movement is a platform to speak openly about their ordeals and have been a powerful force to raise the awareness of sexual exploitation especially in the workplace. But research has shown that and it has been highlighted in this movement that men have the tendency to tolerate more. Hence the shared set of beliefs and toleration may serve to maintain gender roles for both the sexes.
By
By Binita Rai
Department of Economics
