Overview of Anti-Sexual Harassment Cell

As per the guidelines of UGC and the Supreme Court an Anti-Sexual Harassment Committee has been established by the college to provide a healthy atmosphere to the students of the college.The court gave directives for all employers/organizations making it mandatory to institute sexual harassment complaints committees at workplaces.Keeping the above guidelines in view MIT DEGREE College has constituted a Committee against Sexual Harassment.

Objectives:

• To provide an environment free of gender-based discrimination.
• To prevent sexual harassment by promoting gender amity among staff, students and other employees.
• To develop guidelines and norms for a policy against sexual harassment.
• To create a secure physical and social environment which will deter acts of sexual harassment.
• To deal with cases of sexual harassment in a time bound manner, aiming at ensuring supports services to the victimized, prevention and termination of the harassment.

Behaviours that may constitute harassment are:

Sexual harassment is gender-based deals with issues relating to sexual harassment in the college campus. It is applicable to all students, staff and faculty.

• Insulating, Abusive, Embarrassing or patronizing behaviour or comments.
• Verbal or physical threats.
• Unwanted physical contact.
• Suggestive comments or Body language.
• Medium of conducting Sexual Harassment.
• Acts amounting to Sexual Harassment.
• Offensive gestures, Language, Rumours, Gossip or Jokes.

   Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)

• The Committee shall meet as and when any complaint is received by it. Complaint may be received by any member of the committee.

• The enquiry committee shall complete the enquiry in the shortest possible time not exceeding a month from the date on which the complaint is referred to it, except for special reasons.
• The complainants/s and the accused shall be given reasonable opportunity to present and defend their cases. Witness may be called if deemed necessary. In case the accused fail/s to attend consecutively for three hearings despite call notices for the same, the enquiry may be terminated and the decision taken on the complaint on ex-prate basis.
• Counselling services may be made available to the victims and the accused on request.
• If the complainant the accused and the witnesses desire to be accompanied by a companion of their choice, they may be permitted to do so, provided the person so chosen will have only observer status and shall leave the meeting after making his/her testimony.
• The complainant and the accused shall have the right of cross-examination of all witnesses.
• The enquiry committee shall have the right to disallow questions from the victim or the accused, if the questions are deemed irrelevant and unnecessary.
• All persons heard by the enquiry committee as well as observers shall take and observe an oath of secrecy about the proceedings.

• If, in the course of the proceedings before it, the Committee is satisfied that a prima facie case of sexual harassment is made out against the accused employee(s)/student and that there is any chance of the recurrence of any such action, or that it is required to do so in the interests of justice, it may, on the request of the complainant or otherwise, disciplinary action could be initiated in the form of:-

1. Warning
   2. Written apology
   3. Bond of good behaviour
   4. Adverse remarks in the confidential report
   5. Debarring from supervisory duties
   6. Denial of membership of statutory bodies
   7. Denial of re-employment/re – admission
   8. Stopping of increments / promotion/denying admission ticket
   9. Reverting, demotion
   10. Suspension
   11. Dismissal
   12. Any other relevant mechanism.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Members

• To listen to the grievances of faculty and students, if any.
• To verify the complaints registered, if any, within a time frame.
• To create awareness amongst all faculty, staff and students regarding rules against sexual harassment of women.

To take disciplinary action, including reprimands, suspension or termination of membership