GENDER AND VIOLENCE

Seeds of Women’s movement in India were sowed during the British rule. With the help of social reformers like Rajaram Mohan Roy, Ishwarchand Vidyasager, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule, Britishers brought open education system, emancipation of women against evil practices and equal rights for all. They passed various laws in abolishing the inhuman practices like child marriage, untouchability, sati practice and promoted widow remarriage. In spite of these revolutionary laws still for generations women have been silenced into inaction for fear of social stigma, shame and rejection. Sexual harassment at work place, whether educational institution or corporate sector, is very large in number. Sexual harassment at workplace is not the problem of an individual woman—it disturbs the dynamics of the workplace and affects the status of women at large—it is about power play and sexual politics, it occurs with the abuse of power. Sexual harassment is rooted in cultural practices and exacerbated by power relations in the workplaces. The present study would highlight the problems faced by working women at work place in Mumbai (India) inspite of considerable egalitarianism in terms of women’s rights, freedom, participation of women in decision making and empowerment.