In the patriarchal culture of India, women have historically been targets of sexual exploitation. In the past, landlords sexually exploited Indian women. Sexual exploitation has been used as a form of revenge in caste atrocities. Marital rape is still not considered a crime in India . Women have also born the brunt of violence during periods of political change. Our patriarchal culture is based on the notion that men are supposed to be the breadwinners and women the homemakers of the family.
Women who fight and defy these norms are seen as a threat to male control. Rape has been used as a weapon to stop women against crusading for political reforms. This can be further elaborated by the example of Bhanwari Devi. A group of men raped her because she was fighting against child marriage in her region.
Since our workplaces are also a part of patriarchal culture, the various techniques that workplaces use to seclude women characterise ‘work’ as appropriate for men only, provide sexist evaluation of work performance, or deny promotions. They further demean the dignity of women by questioning their ability to do a job.
Research has shown that the crime of sexual harassment is committed in the workplace with the intention of psychologically disempowering women.
In India, like in many countries of the world, we do not have adequate statistics for sexual violence. These crimes often go unpunished, and hence women find no incentive in reporting the crime.
Due to patriarchal culture most of the workplaces consist of unequal distribution between men and women (Indian workplaces consist of fewer women than men). Unequal representation of women is one of the main reasons for the prevalence of sexual harassment in the workplace. When there are fewer women in a workplace they do not find enough support to lodge a complaint, or even have a complaints mechanism. Only 19% of women professionals make it to senior management positions. And it’s even harder to retain women employees whena company’s decisions are not taken in their.
The roots of sexual harassment lie in the patriarchal culture where men have greater power and control vis–a–vis women. As women are made powerless, they become hesitant about speaking out about their subjugation and exploitation. A ‘culture of silence’ continues to prevail, where the perpetrators are not punished for their crimes and cases of sexual harassment keep on increasing.
A report by Yugantar Educational Society has confirmed that the culture of silence exists in most organisations today. The report further said that the reasons why women do not file complaints is because they fear they will be taunted by co-workers and face character assassination.
Similarly, late women’s rights activist Martha Farrell talked about how a female nurses in India perceived sexual harassment as this: “We can sort out such a small issue, it is not right to trouble the management over every little issue.”
In a patriarchal culture, the principle of organisational hierarchy continues to prevail, where the principles of inequality and discrimination continue to rule.
According to Ackler (1990), “Concentration of power in the workplace based on heteronormative masculinity gives rise to a gendered workplace where men continue to assert power and control over women in many forms of which sexual harassment is the most pervasive form .”
Weisberg (1996) said that sexual harassment can occur because women occupy inferior positions and have lower roles. Sexual harassment is committed with the intention to perpetuate the inferior position of women. She also says that every incident of sexual harassment works towards reinforcing that inferior position, not only in the workplace but also in society.
Collier (1995) says that “sexual harassment is a pattern of intrusion into women lives, a form of policing and thereby control.”
As a result of the patriarchal culture in the workplace, women become the primary target of sexual harassment, irrespective of whether they occupy the highest or lowest ranks in the hierarchy. It is the structure of the workplace that holds and maintains power which creates the circumstances leading to sexual harassment of women irrespective of their social standing.
In India many incidents of sexual harassment go unrecognised and unreported because the crime of sexual harassment is accepted in Indian Culture, and even considered as a normal socialisation pattern. The reason why most women don’t report sexual harassment is because it is believed that women provoke the crime of sexual harassment through their attire and interaction with men. Also due to some widely-held myths, beliefs, and perceptions women are unsure about what constitutes sexual harassment.
Further, gender discrimination continues in workplace till date. This is reemphasised by the case of R. K. Pachauri where a woman employee accused him of harassment while he was the director TERI .The case went on for two years despite the fact that women had clear evidence to prove this point. These crimes still exist.