Her Rights, Her Dignity: Understanding Legal Safeguards Against Sexual Harassment”

Type of event: Workshop and student Interactive session

Date: 18^th September, 2025

Venue: AV Hall, IIS

Name of Resource person: Ms. Oorjasvi Goswami, Advocate, Supreme Court      of India

No. of Participants/Beneficiaries: Students and staff of Dept of Political Science & International Relations, Centre for Women studies and Internal Complaints Committee.

Name of the activity Coordinator:  Dr. Archana Gupta, Ms Latika Yadav

Objective of the workshop:  To create awareness about the legal definition and scope of sexual harassment and to familiarize participants with the POSH Act (2013) and related provisions under the IPC.

To provide clarity on institutional mechanisms such as Internal Complaints Committees (ICC), police procedures, and women’s commissions.

To empower participants with strategies for prevention, reporting, and peer support and encourage open dialogue that breaks the silence and stigma surrounding sexual harassment.

SUMMARY REPORT –

TECHNICAL SESSION 1

The inaugural technical session started at 11:00 a.m. as guest speakers Ms. Oorjasvi Goswami and Mohd. Shakib Naru, advocates at the Supreme Court of India. The guests were received warmly with tokens of appreciation.

Ms. Goswami kicked off the session, assuring that she would keep it brief but impactful through actual case studies and real-life situations. She introduced self-reflection on how a safe workplace should be, emphasizing that sexual harassment is not a grievance but an infringement of basic rights and also an obstruction to professional development. Pointing towards the change in the law, she clarified that earlier to 2013 the Indian Penal Code had only dealt with limited areas like assault and outraging modesty. With the passage of the POSH Act, 2013 (Prevention of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace), greater protection was afforded by identifying harassment through language, gestures, advances, blackmail, pornography, or sexist comments.

The session also touched upon the Zero FIR aspect, where a complaint can be filed at any police station, regardless of jurisdiction, particularly in stalking or harassment cases. Ms. Goswami discussed the compulsory composition of an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) in an organization with ten or more employees, such as a presiding officer (senior woman staff), two members devoted to women's causes, and an external member with legal qualifications.

The session concluded with an engaging interaction where students and faculty raised pertinent questions, making the discussion both practical and impactful. This was followed by a powerful short play by the college drama society on sexual harassment awareness, performed with striking realism, leaving the audience deeply moved and reflective.

TECHNICAL SESSION 2

The technical session 2 resumed after lunch and focused on several key aspects of the law, particularly the POSH Act (Prevention of Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act), highlighting its significance and the need for impartiality in its application. A critical point discussed was the misuse of legal provisions, emphasizing the responsibility of citizens to refrain from filing false cases. A real-life case was shared where a woman had allegedly filed a false complaint, underscoring the serious consequences of such actions.

Participants were encouraged to seek legal advice from qualified lawyers rather than relying on AI tools or internet sources for legal remedies, especially in personal matters. A major section of the workshop focused on the expanded legal definition of rape under Section 376 (2) of the IPC. It was clarified that rape is not limited to physical penetration but includes non-consensual acts like forced oral sex, sexting, and molestation. Other critical issues such as voyeurism—for example, recording a woman while bathing—were discussed to raise awareness of different forms of sexual misconduct.

The session concluded by stressing the importance of courts in delivering justice and highlighting the importance of “Break the Silence”, reinforcing that the perpetrator is guilty, not the survivor, and that speaking up can make a difference. Participants were encouraged to challenge societal stigma, support survivors, and spread awareness about legal rights. The workshop served as a powerful reminder that awareness, empathy, and legal knowledge are crucial tools in the fight against sexual harassment. Empowering individuals with correct information is the first step toward creating safer workplaces and communities.

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