As per the guidelines of UGC and the Supreme Court, Anti Sexual Harassment Cell has been established by Annai Violet Arts & Science College to provide an healthy and congenial atmosphere to the staff and students of the College. The cell was constituted to meet the four basic objectives:

• To develop the guidelines and norms for a policy against sexual harassment.
• To develop principles and procedures for combating sexual harassment.
• To work out details for the implementation of the policy.
• To prepare a detailed plan of action, both short and long term.

What Constitutes Sexual Harassment

• Sexual pranks, or repeated sexual teasing, jokes, or innuendo, in person or via e-mail.
• Verbal abuse in a sexual nature.
• Touching or grabbing in a sexual nature.
• Repeatedly standing too close  or brushing up against a person.
• Repeatedly asking a person to socialize during off-duty hours when the person has said no or has indicated he or she is not interested.
• Giving gifts or leaving objects that are sexually suggestive.
• Repeatedly making sexually suggestive gestures.
• Making or posting sexually demeaning or offensive pictures, cartoons or other materials in the workplace/social media.
• Off-duty, unwelcome conducts of a sexual nature that affects the work environment. A victim of sexual harassment can be a man or a woman. The victim can be of the same sex as the harasser. The harasser can be a supervisor, co-worker, other Department employee, or a non-employee who has a business relationship with the Department.

A committee consisting of the following members has been constituted as per Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013

THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS OF THE CELL SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Organize awareness programmes and campaigns for the benefit of all members of the College on sexual harassment and gender based discrimination.
• Conduct formal inquiry and investigate and take decisions upon each complaint and recommend appropriate punishment or action to be taken, by the appropriate authority, in each instance.
• Receive and redress complaints received from any member of the College (including students, research scholars, staff, hostel residents and outsiders on College premises) alleging sexual harassment by another member(s) of the College.
• Ensure that all information pertaining either to complaints registered and the proceedings and findings of any inquiries and/or investigations are kept strictly confidential.

REMEDIAL STEPS:

• To ensure that the mechanism for registering complaints is safe, accessible and sensitive.
• To take cognizance of complaints about sexual harassment, conduct enquiries, provide assistance and redressal to the victims, recommend penalties and take action against the harasser, if necessary.
• To advise the competent authority to issue warnings or take the help of the law to stop the harasser, if the complainant consents.
• To seek medical, police and legal intervention with the consent of the complainant.
• To make arrangements for appropriate psychological, emotional and physical support (in form of counseling, security and other assistance) to the victim if so desires.

PROCEDURE TO BE FOLLOWED BY THE COMMITTEE:

• The Committee shall meet as and when any complaint is received by it. Complaint may be received by any member of the committee.
• Minutes of all proceedings of the Committee shall be prepared and duly signed by the members of the Committee.
• The Committee shall record its findings in writing supported with reasons and shall forward the same with its recommendations, to the Principal/Management, within a period of time. In case the Committee finds that the facts disclose the commission of a criminal offence by the accused person, this shall be specifically mentioned in the Committee’s report.
• 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:
  • Warning
  • Written apology
  • Bond of good behavior
  • Adverse remarks in the confidential report
  • Debarring from supervisory duties
  • Denial of membership of statutory bodies
  • Denial of re-employment/re – admission
  • Stopping of increments / promotion/denying admission ticket
  • Reverting, demotion
  • Suspension
  • Dismissal
• If  the Committee is satisfied that the complainant has knowingly brought false charges of sexual harassment against any person, it shall report the same in writing to the Principal/Management, with reasons and with recommendations of the action to be taken against such person.

Committee For SC/ST/OBC & Minority cell