Workplace Sexual Harassment of Women in Assam: An Overview"

Abstract

Democratization and individualism make it easy for women across the world to participate in the workforce outside their homes. However, besides the prevailing power dynamics in the family structure among the genders, the working world has also been dominated by unequal power dynamics that endanger women's safety and security. In their workplace, they have to confront new forms of violence, gender discrimination, and harassment.  For millions of women working globally, workplaces are sites of insecurity, violence, and vulnerability. Amidst numerous forms of harassment against working women, sexual harassment is frightful which grossly violates women's rights and dignity. To curb the sexual harassment against women at the workplace, India had enacted a law in 2013. Nonetheless, the crime like sexual harassment of women at the workplace has been increasing rapidly in India. As per various reports, the crimes against women in Assam top in some recent years. This paper is an effort to uncover the notions of sexual harassment of women at the workplace in the Indian state of Assam. The article explores the meaning and concept of sexual harassment of women at the workplace. The article primarily tries to examine the nature and extent of sexual harassment of women at the workplace in the state. This paper is mainly based on the research report carried out by the Department of Women Studies, Gauhati University in Collaboration with the North East Network. Along with this other secondary sources of data have also been followed while preparing this paper.