Sexual Harassment

From the minute you hear someone shouting “it’s a girl” until after lowering her in the grave, there is an unbroken chain of discrimination and harassment...

“Sexual harassment is any form of unwelcome sexual behaviour – verbal, nonverbal, physical or visual - that is offensive, humiliating or intimidating”.

Almost everyone will agree with the above definition of sexual harassment. However, many forms of sexual harassment are not perceived as such and are widely accepted, even defended. Victims are predominantly women and perpetrators are predominantly men. Why women endure the vast majority of sexual harassment and intimidation?

It is in fact manifestation of the male self-perception, self-entitlement, power relations and the roles attributed to men and women. They are deeply embedded in patriarchal societies. Harassment takes place everywhere: homes, education, workplace, family, sports, hospitals, marriages, transport, everywhere. It is often justified under the guise of tradition, honour and religion or just…