The Executive Committee formed by Mumbai Municipal Corporation to prevent sexual harassment of women working in Corporation has revealed shocking information that every month at least 2 women are being sexually harassed at their work place in the Corporation. A committee was formed in the name of Savitribai Phule Female Resource Center. The reports submitted by this committee confirm that women in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation are facing sexual harassment. Every month, average two women working in the Mumbai Corporation are becoming victims of sexual harassment. In the last seven years, 179 women have been victims of sexual harassment. Women lodge their complaints to the committee and then action is being taken against the culprit. But since this action is taken within the department only, the culprit gets free soon.
There are many offices, hospitals and schools of Mumbai Municipal Corporation in the most part of the city. Currently the corporation has 1 lakh 5 thousand employees, out of which about 40 percent are women employees.
While working together in the office, many times most of the women employees are being exploited by the senior officers or co-workers. Women are being pressurized, sexually harassed, tortured or sexually abused. Few years ago, such harassment complaints against women workers were ignored, however after the public awareness and the Supreme Court order, the Executive Committee has been established by the Mumbai Municipal Corporation for sexual harassment in 2003. The Committee inquiries these complaints and take the action against the culprit.
In 2010, 6 complaints had been received by the committee and 15 complaints in 2012. In 2013, the number of complaints were doubled, 32 complaints were reported. In 2014, there were 34 complaints, 31 in the year 2015, 37 in the year 2016 and in 24 in the year 2017. Action has been taken against all complaints, no complaint is pending. Since the investigation of complaints registered in 2018 is still ongoing, the statistics will be released soon.
Most of the complaints mentioned that the co-workers or senior officers use various ways to get close to women employees. The Committee noticed in their investigation that the male workers deliberately point out faults in female employee’s work and pressurize them.
Dr. Kamakshi Bhate, Secretary, Savitribai Phule Female Resource Center
Executive Committee for Sexual Harassment Prevention has been established in 2003 to curb sexual atrocities on women. There is a committee of 16 members in the Prevention of Women Sexual Abuse Prohibition Committee and Savitribai Phule Female Resource Center. There are five doctors, five members and administrative officials in this committee. According to the policy of anti-sexual harassment of the corporation, the chairman of the committee is a High grade woman officer. 86 complaints committees have been set up in various municipalities. We do not disclose the names of officers and complainant women employees.
Complaint filed from 2011 -17
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2011 – 6
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2012 – 15
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2013 – 32
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2014 – 34
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2015 – 31
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2016 – 37
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2017 – 24
