IWPC asks media houses to setup mechanisms to redress sexual harassment complaints

The Indian Women's Press Corps (IWPC) Monday called upon media houses to establish institutional mechanisms to redress complaints of sexual harassment.

Expressing concern over the spate of instances of sexual harassment faced by women journalists, the IWPC urged them to take recourse to the redressal system to have their grievances addressed.

"The IWPC extends its support to all the women journalists and women employees in the media who have faced sexual harassment by their co-workers and superiors and have had the courage to speak out.

"The fact that many of the complaints have gone unheard despite being brought to the notice of the appropriate authorities is disturbing and a matter of grave concern," IWPC president TK Rajalakshmi said in a statement.

Following Hollywood's #MeToo movement, which has seen several women there having spoken out about sexual harassment faced by them, many people are referring to actress Tanushree Dutta's statement on Nana Patekar as the beginning of a similar campaign in Bollywood.

Dutta has accused Patekar of behaving inappropriately with her on the sets of a film called 'Horn Ok Please' in 2008. Following her allegations, women across various spheres, including journalists, have taken to social media narrating their ordeal.

Rajalakshmi said, "It is also reflective of a systemic malaise where despite the enactment of the Sexual Harassment of Women at the Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, the committees required to address these complaints and grievances are either not properly constituted or simply do not exist."