ESSAY-Gender Sensitization Committee Against Sexual Harassment (GSCASH), JNU

* Gender Sensitization Committee Against Sexual Harassment (GSCASH), Jawaharlal Nehru University, had started functioning from its present office space since October 2001. This essay won the first prize in M.Phil/Ph.D level Essay Competition conducted by the GSCASH, JNU in 2009*

In India, the layman’s understanding of sexual harassment is, ‘eve teasing, unwelcome sexual gesture or behaviour whether directly or indirectly as sexually colored remarks; physical contact and advances; showing pornography; a demand or request for sexual favors; any other unwelcome physical, verbal/ non-verbal conduct being sexual in nature. The critical factor is the unwelcomeness of the behaviour, thereby making the impact of such actions on the recipient more relevant rather than intent of the perpetrator’.  The definition of sexual harassment can be broader than what we have known. The degree of punishment to accuse varies from country to country. In India, the ‘Vishakha guidelines’ gave an awareness to check sexual harassment in working places. However, the problem of sexual harassment is yet to be plucked out, infact over the years its impact has so much increase that several institutions are coming up with various measures to combat it.

The awareness so far

                         The sole aim of colleges and universities is to bring about a harmonious development between an individual’s intellect and personality. Campuses, whether residential or non residential are meant for providing learning, working and homely environments. All members of academic communities pursue their studies and research work in a liberal way best suited for them. However, the malady of ‘sexual harassment’, in someway has acted like a stumbling block in erecting the pillar of progress.

For sometime the problem of sexual harassment was treated as confidential. However, with the growth of awareness of this issue, the victims came forward with a bold stand against it; this step taken by the victims acted like bacon of light for the other victims who had shelled themselves in the darkness of despair.  By 1980s, onwards the problems of sexual harassment in campuses gained its cheap popularity, so the universities armed up with effective measures and attention were focused on this problem.

Forms of sexual harassment in campuses can be take place in the following way. Unwelcome sexual advances, sexist remark, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, unwanted jokes, sending vulgar emails or text messages. An intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment is created when individual's employment is made on the basis of submission to or rejection of such conduct, and when such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance.

Irrespective of gender, both male and female in the academic community can be victims of unwanted sexual behavior; however it was to be noticed that the majority of complainants were from female students, faculty, and staff. Through the complaints, it was brought to notice that whether they where in undergraduate or research programme female students were harassed either by their supervisor, classmates or other male students. Academics are seen as male dominated arena so women are overwhelmingly the targets of sexual harassment; this is believed to be one of the reasons for such indecent behaviour from man. The cause of such activity some believe arises because of power structures and cultural biases within the academy

Role of the student’s community in gender sensitizing and combating sexual harassments in campuses

The power of the student’s unity is not to be underestimated.  For decades changes were brought in our society through their active participation, their strength is undeniable. Through proper awareness the student’s community can voluntarily organize themselves to pluck the evil seed of ‘sexual harassment in the campuses’.

A student as an individual must set an example in eliminating gender inequities among all segments of the academic community and respect each others choice and preferences. The students’ community in whole should promote mutual cooperation, equity, and care among students of different class, caste, race, sex and religion.

The mind set that breeds the superiority complex over the other, looking down towards a particular gender as inferior, creates problem in controlling sexual harassment in campuses. Women are generally looked upon as a prey to satisfy the sexual appetite; some of the maniacs cannot take no for an answer, they keep on pestering and pursuing until they achieve their desired goal. Here, what the student’s community can do is of crucial importance. If only they can pick out the anti-social agent, if only they can hand him over to the respective legal authority, or put him for therapy; then the problem will cease like butter in a hot surface, however it is easy said than done.

Student’s community can highlight the issues through the public talks, distribution of pamphlets, posters, write ups in college magazines. Student’s community can bring up policies, procedures, extensive training programs, and materials that seek to identify and prevent sexual harassment and promoted conferences and seminars addressing the problem. They can stage the issues of sexual harassment, and for effective participation they can organize literary competitions under this theme. 

Students who are sexually harassed are often so confused, worried, or angry that they do not know what to do. Therefore a professional counselor should be employed in the campus; the student’s community should support the victim in best possible way whether in giving legal help or emotional courage.

Prevention is better than cure; therefore the student’s community should come up with a solid proposal and draft rules and regulations to punish the offender. Sexual harassment cells should come up in the campus where the victims can place their complaints; so, that such anti-social acts will be controlled to some extent.  

Some universities in India like Jawaharlal Nehru University and Delhi University had been strong in avenging sexual harassment, and they have been successful in grabbing the problem. The credited however is equally shared between the students and the faculty members who vigorously voiced out when support was needed.

A joint endeavour

                         Much is done but much has to be done. In spreading awareness of the sexual harassment in the campuses people often expect a lot from the students’ community however it is a combined endeavor. The society at large should come forward in combating the problem of sexual harassment for a better tomorrow.

CORRUPTION in NAGALAND: A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT

           Why the engagement happened?

With the Naga Peace process more or last settled, the issue which needs our attention is 'corruption' in the state.  Indeed, corruption is the most evergreen topic in this state of ours. 

We all have been benefitted through corruption more or less, directly or indirectly.

THE REAL DEFINITION OF CORRUPTION

The real definition of corruption has always been vague to the people in Nagaland. The lessons and lectures on 'corruption' has never reached the Naga masses, to be precise. The concept and the approach towards it has always been in the form of a patch work. The words like favour, corruption, blessing, barter system, nepotism etc needs to be redefined. Corruption as a subject of concern pops up only during literary competitions, election manifesto or say NPSC aspirants working on their essay paper. Churches too have delivered sermons but the combined effort of Sociology and Public Administration holds its own relevance in a secular world. However, the above cited courses are not read by everyone.

Defining corruption in Naga lingo. Misnomer alert!

 (a) Wealth Accumulation- Accumulation of wealth through unethical means has often become the subject of gossip. In Nagaland, rag to riches is a wonderful success story. Acquiring wealth through one's talent, not artistic, the talent to hoard public resources. Socialism cannot always eradicate uneven wealth  distribution. 

 (b) Misuse of Office- Money is not the only indicator of corruption, misuse of one's office is also  one of the tenets of corruption. In the literal sense, misuse of one's office might mean turning the office into a spa corner or alcoholic stall. Anyway, conventionally it means, using one's position to achieve an outcome which could  not have been achieved without using the power of that 'seat'.  When was the last time we heard about it?

THE FIGHT BETWEEN NEED AND GREED  

Less is more, says the fashion trend but when more is less becomes the system's fuel, the birth of corruption seems to be inevitable. It is not surprising, the rich people who became rich from corruption tend to become even richer. They have the right contacts and the right ways to add digits to their bank balance. The irony is, 'wrong' should be the prefix.

For some, even too much is never enough. Indeed, the world is enough for man's need not for man's greed. To know the difference between need and greed is the job of an idealist, that's what it looks like. If someone wants to be rich, we see no wrong in that. However, the means adopted to become rich? Often comes under scanner only if some one is a top brass bureaucrat or else low level players are ignored. A virus is a virus irrespective of size. 

PSYCHOLOGICAL REASONS

If corruption is a crime then the person  who engages in it is a criminal and like every criminal there is a story behind the crime. Maybe that Naga government official must have had a deprived childhood, wanting lots of toys but end up with nothing, not even the used ones.

Maybe that person is blessed with a spendthrift spouse and rotten kids, maybe his/her standard of living is way beyond her/his earning and ultra extra under the table money is the most ancient and effective ways of meeting the budget? It does not mean only people who comes from economically modest background engages is corruption, refer to theme two.

Assumptions, maybe as a teen, he/she was looked down by his/her peer group and as a revenge, he/she was to be powerful and rich to show, who is the boss! However, anything in this world can be justified but all justifications are not worth justifying. 

CHRISTIAN WITHOUT ETHICAL VALUES

Ethics is a value system which helps one to live as a rational human being in a society and as a contributor of virtues, which distinguishes one from a beast.  Christianity  do have it's own set of values which contributes to the ethical code like, refraining from lying, stealing, cheating, bearing false witness, greed, killing, sexual immorality etc. We might not be in a position to make good judgment of our deeds but as a Christian we know, redemption is through confession of our sins which reflects self-correction. One might not be so bold to publicly come up with editorials confessing one's deed, however, keeping a check by being aware of one's past actions is not a bad start.

Conclusion

This post will be just another post on 'corruption'. It might catch the eyes of some local newspaper, but like any other piece, it will be forgotten in time without making significant impact, because, as we have read in the preface of this post, everyone has been benefitted from the corruption in this state, directly or indirectly.

The discussions made in this post is just a personal view. It is not sponsored by a particular individual or group, basically, it is not an advertisement. It is an attempt to question not only what we already know but also how far have we known it.

-The End-