Vishaka Cell

Sexual Harassment at a workplace is undoubtedly a violation of women’s right to equality, life and liberty. It does not only create an impediment in the way of women’s participation in constructive activities at a workplace but does render the workplace hostile and insecure for them as well. Hence,  in compliance with the guidelines on sexual harassment prevention in the workplace, issued by the Honourable Supreme Court of India in 1997 (Vishaka Judgement), our college has constituted Vishakha Cell with an object to promote the principle of gender equality enshrined in the Indian Constitution.  The cell is intended to take utmost care of the grievances of girl students and female employees in the campus. Since its formation, the cell has been promoting the policy of ‘Zero Tolerance against Sexual Harassment’  by putting it up on the posters at different places in the campus, especially  at the entrance of the main college building. 

 

The objectives of Vishakha Cell are as follows:

  • To purely safeguard the rights of female students and female staff.
  • To maintaining the healthy and safe environment for girls and women employees in the campus.
  • To prevent any sexual invectives and abuses towards girl students and female staff.
  • To provide a platform for listening to complaints.
  • To meet evidence, and take indispensable action against the guilty.
  • To prevent any kind of sexual harassment by using secret monitoring service.
  • To create a setting of gender justice in a Co-Ed college where men and women work together with a sense of personal security and dignity.
  • To augment the self-worth and confidence of girl students, women faculty and staff.
  • To keep a keen eye on the entire campus.

 

What constitutes Sexual Harassment?

  • Offering benefits for a sexual favour.
  • Unwanted sexual advancements.
  • Threats or retaliation to ‘NO’.
  • Sexually connotative visual and suggestive gestures.
  • Sexual invectives or derogatory remarks.
  • Unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature.
  • Showing  pornography.
  • Sending unsolicited  messages via e-mail, facebook, messenger, whatsApp , and other virtual medias.

 

What DOES NOT constitute Sexual Harrassment?

  • Saying “Thank You”or “Please”.
  • Showing compliments pertaining to HER performance.
  • Any kind of verbal or non-verbal gesture grounded on mutuality or reciprocality.