The MeToo movement has made headlines across the world and resulted in several celebrities and high-profile individuals being called out for abuse and harassment, but in India, conversations about sexual harassment in the workplace still have a long way to go.
A new poll commissioned by the international nonprofit NGO Care and conducted by Harris Poll presents a grim picture of attitudes towards workplace sexual harassment after MeToo, in India and seven other countries.
India, in particular, has several disturbing trends. According to the poll, nearly 38% male respondents in India said it was always (13%) or sometimes (25%) acceptable for an employer to ask for or expect sex from an employee. This was higher than the global average of 23% men who thought it was okay to do this. Among all the countries surveyed, the figure was the highest in Egypt, where as many as 62% men said it was okay for employers to expect intimate relations from employees.
The poll included 9,400 individuals in Australia, Ecuador, Egypt, India, South Africa, the US, the UK and Vietnam, with 1,029 Indians taking part in the survey. Overall, 29% of Indian women and 22% of Indian men said that they had experienced work-related sexual harassment or assault. This was lower than the global average of 32% for women.
The results also reveal poor awareness of what constitutes sexual harassment among respondents from India. For instance, nearly 55% of respondents thought it was always (16%) or sometimes (39%) acceptable to invite a subordinate on a date, with over 60% men saying this was okay in comparison to 49% women. Over a quarter (26%) also said it was always (11%) or sometimes (15%) acceptable to kiss a colleague at an office party without asking for permission. Moreover, one-third (33%) of all Indian respondents thought it was acceptable to cat-call or whistle at a colleague. Over half of the respondents (52%) thought that sexual harassment at the workplace was not common. More than one-third (34%) also said that a bit of sexual banter did not do any harm.
Several responses indicate a noticeable gap between what men and women consider to be acceptable in the workplace. For example, half (50%) of the male respondents in India said it was always (14%) or sometimes (36%) acceptable to tell a risqué or sexual joke to a colleague, in comparison to just 30% of Indian women who said it was acceptable. Nearly 52% male respondents said it was sometimes (34%) or always (18%) acceptable to rank colleagues on the basis of appearance. In comparison only 35% of women said that it was sometimes or always okay. While 44% men said it was acceptable to pinch a colleague’s bottom as a joke, only 27% of women thought it was okay. Around 36% men said it was acceptable to show a colleague a nude photo or video, as compared to 20% women.
Nonetheless, there were some signs of change. An overwhelming majority (65%) of respondents said that the MeToo movement would result in improvements in workplace behaviour in India. More than half (54%) also thought that sexual harassment scandals in Hollywood and other high-profile industries would also lead to improved workplace behaviour in most industries.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com...ect-sex-from-juniors/articleshow/63897022.cms
A new poll commissioned by the international nonprofit NGO Care and conducted by Harris Poll presents a grim picture of attitudes towards workplace sexual harassment after MeToo, in India and seven other countries.
India, in particular, has several disturbing trends. According to the poll, nearly 38% male respondents in India said it was always (13%) or sometimes (25%) acceptable for an employer to ask for or expect sex from an employee. This was higher than the global average of 23% men who thought it was okay to do this. Among all the countries surveyed, the figure was the highest in Egypt, where as many as 62% men said it was okay for employers to expect intimate relations from employees.
The poll included 9,400 individuals in Australia, Ecuador, Egypt, India, South Africa, the US, the UK and Vietnam, with 1,029 Indians taking part in the survey. Overall, 29% of Indian women and 22% of Indian men said that they had experienced work-related sexual harassment or assault. This was lower than the global average of 32% for women.
The results also reveal poor awareness of what constitutes sexual harassment among respondents from India. For instance, nearly 55% of respondents thought it was always (16%) or sometimes (39%) acceptable to invite a subordinate on a date, with over 60% men saying this was okay in comparison to 49% women. Over a quarter (26%) also said it was always (11%) or sometimes (15%) acceptable to kiss a colleague at an office party without asking for permission. Moreover, one-third (33%) of all Indian respondents thought it was acceptable to cat-call or whistle at a colleague. Over half of the respondents (52%) thought that sexual harassment at the workplace was not common. More than one-third (34%) also said that a bit of sexual banter did not do any harm.
Several responses indicate a noticeable gap between what men and women consider to be acceptable in the workplace. For example, half (50%) of the male respondents in India said it was always (14%) or sometimes (36%) acceptable to tell a risqué or sexual joke to a colleague, in comparison to just 30% of Indian women who said it was acceptable. Nearly 52% male respondents said it was sometimes (34%) or always (18%) acceptable to rank colleagues on the basis of appearance. In comparison only 35% of women said that it was sometimes or always okay. While 44% men said it was acceptable to pinch a colleague’s bottom as a joke, only 27% of women thought it was okay. Around 36% men said it was acceptable to show a colleague a nude photo or video, as compared to 20% women.
Nonetheless, there were some signs of change. An overwhelming majority (65%) of respondents said that the MeToo movement would result in improvements in workplace behaviour in India. More than half (54%) also thought that sexual harassment scandals in Hollywood and other high-profile industries would also lead to improved workplace behaviour in most industries.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com...ect-sex-from-juniors/articleshow/63897022.cms
