By Viji Hari
The situation described below happens all too often…
In the vibrant heart of a growing large city retailer, a story unfolds creating a catalyst for change. A popular store, known for its vibrant atmosphere and bustling crowds, became the stage for an incident that would underline the importance of POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) compliance in the retail industry.
Priya, an enthusiastic sales associate, was known for her helpful attitude and bright smile. One day, as she was assisting shoppers, she encountered a customer whose behavior swiftly turned from complimentary to uncomfortable. Initially, he praised her assistance, but his words soon crossed boundaries. His remarks were laced with unwelcome, inappropriate advances. The customer frequented the store just to meet and talk to Priya.
Conflicted, Priya grappled with the situation. Should she dismiss these comments, as she feared backlash not only from the customer but potentially from the store management too? Or should she stand up for herself, despite the customer’s prominence in the community?
She mustered courage to report the incident to her manager. This marked a pivotal moment for the store. Management was forced to confront the reality that their POSH policies, while well-intentioned, were inadequate in dealing with harassment from customers, not just internal staff incidents.
By combining POSH compliance with local culture and community, businesses in India can lead the way in creating environments where everyone feels valued, heard, and safe. There is untapped potential in India for growth and innovation. Yet, the journey towards realizing this potential is paved with responsibilities, notably the imperative to create safe and respectful workplaces through POSHcompliance. The significance of this compliance transcends legal obligations, embedding itself in the moral fabric of organizational culture.
Based on my experience working with 400+ corporations, 1,000+ workshops across industries and sectors, here’s what I’ve observed:
•Every organization has at least 8% to 10% of sexual harassment
incidents at their workplace. And less than 1% of the victims have the courage to come forward to file the complaint.
•Many organizations still fear reporting harassment incidents and consider talking about sexual harassment as taboo.
•The Ministry of Women and Child Development revealed that the number of registered complaints under POSH has seen an uptick, suggesting both an increase in awareness and incidences of harassment. However, many organizations, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs), large retailers and educational institutions, still lack a formal mechanism to address such complaints.
Her Right to Speak up & Say ‘NO!’
Why does sexual harassment remain so pervasive in India?
In a recent article, writer, Nyaya Sarthak shared that ingrained cultural stigmas, power imbalances, lack of female empowerment in work settings, poor legal enforcement,
and inadequate prevention education have normalized harassing behaviors in many
Indian workplaces.
Empowering women and helping them to understand their rights is key to fighting injustices that remain in the culture.
Up to 80%
of women in India face sexual harassment
in the workplace, during their careers.
57% of women
reported sexual harassment
in their workplace in the past year.
Sexual crimes against women continue to rise
Every 93 seconds
a sexual assault occurs in the US
Viji Hari is a specialist in diversity and inclusion, and prevention of sexual harassment at the workplace. She is also a entrepreneur, Founder of CecureUs (www.Cecureus.com), and an author. Viji has authored two books, one of which Behind Closed Cubicles, is a collection of short stories based on real-life sexual harassment incidents from across the Indian corporate world. This is a great resource for managers, HR Professionals and any working woman. Get the book at vijihari.com/books/