Working with predators

Sexual harassment, abuse and discrimination are widely prevalent and pervasive in workplaces and mostly unreported or ignored by senior managers. Most women have to work in hostile work environments surrounded by sexual predators to protect their careers and livelihood. 

The incident of a senior bank manager groping a woman is just one example of the horrors women have to endure in the workplace. A majority of them are often coerced to remain silent by their colleagues or bosses and most lack faith in the formal reporting mechanism as it might not sanction harassers and their work situation would not improve. Although the bank manager was terminated and arrested, this is just one example that came to the limelight due to the power of social media.

There is often a lack of awareness on what constitutes harassment in the workplace. All employees in any position from managers to lower staff should know their rights. The sharing of any sexually suggestive images, videos, texts, emails, lewd jokes, gestures, anecdotes or casual misogyny is an offence along with any inappropriate touching or brushing against another person is blatant sexual harassment.

Any behaviour involving making racist or negative comments can also be construed as workplace harassment. This includes if a coworker is standing nearby when inappropriate sexual comments are uttered even they aren’t directed toward them. We certainly do not have such awareness and men in positions of power often get away with it. Employees need to have organizational and legal recourse to report incidents of sexual harassment.

Pakistan passed the Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010 and there is a special ombudsman for sexual harassment. On the other hand, Section 509 of the Pakistan Penal Code also states that an act of sexual harassment is a criminal offence. Although there are laws to protect women, the deep-rooted patriarchy and archaic mindset prevents them from serving the purpose.

Victim blaming is one of the most unfortunate sides of our society. Just in the case of the bank employee, many questioned why she did not immediately react to the manager’s advances. Even if some find the courage, there are subdued while bringing the case to court is never an option. This compels them to work with sharks and other predators in the workplace which hampers their career growth and success.