Kalakshetra to NIT Trichy, sexual harassment complaints result in victim blaming

Protesters alleged that the warden blamed the student's dressing style instead of helping her when the incident of sexual harassment was reported.

When the institution authorities failed to address the complaint of sexual harassment, the victim along with her parents and a group of students approached the police and filed a complaint.

Free to file complaints

The chairperson of the Tamil Nadu Women’s Commission, AS Kumari, felt the warden in this case should not be let off lightly.

She told The Federal that the hostel warden and other authorities who failed to proceed with the complaint and prevented the survivor from reporting the incident should also be treated as violators.

"After the protest in Kalakshetra in March 2023, we spread awareness among students in educational institutions to file complaints through helplines and email addresses without hesitation. In the NIT Trichy incident, we inquired about the security lapses in the institution. It is also shocking that the warden blamed the student instead of pursuing the complaint, which is unacceptable behaviour. We will further investigate how the warden and others forced the student not to report the harassment," Kumari told The Federal.

Complaint committee members

Explaining the insensitivity towards sexual abuse and harassment complaints in educational institutions, she said many institutions do not even display the names of members who are on their complaints committee.

"We were shocked to learn that Madurai Kamaraj University, for example, had only male members in their internal complaints committee last year and did not encourage complaints. Only after our intervention, women members were included in the committee. We want students to come forward and report such violations," said Kumari.

She added that she had received over 100 complaints from students from several educational institutions, including premier universities in the state, in the last two years.

Hiding abuse is punishable

Advocate BS Ajeetha pointed out that the hostel warden at NIT Trichy, who failed to report the incident, can be punished under Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Women Harassment Act, 1998.

"Hiding abuse is not a matter of pride. We should encourage students to come forward to file complaints. Section 4 clearly states that anyone who commits, participates in, or abets the harassment of a woman in or within the precincts of any educational institution, or any other place, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term that may extend to three years and with a fine not less than ten thousand rupees," she said.

She added that comments related to students' dressing styles are archaic and expose the insensitivity of the authorities.

"Comments on the dressing of women are condemnable. The failure of authorities to provide a safe and secure campus is a significant violation. They should be educated and informed about the legal provisions," said Ajeetha.

The offence

In a letter that has gone viral on social media, the NIT Trichy student claimed that while she was sitting in her room, a worker entered it to attend a WiFi issue. Suddenly, he started masturbating and flashed his private parts, she said.

The girl fled the room. "When I came back, he was gone, but there was semen all over the floor. I even had a picture of it which I submitted at the police station," she said.

The Tamil Nadu Women’s Commission and many activists have criticised the attitude of the hostel warden and other officials at NIT Trichy for the manner in which they handled the harassment complaint.

According to Trichy police, the accused, Kathiresan, was arrested based on the survivor's complaint early Friday morning. Police said a group of electricians had entered the hostel campus to fix WiFi routers without being accompanied by the warden.

Police steps in

"Four other workers were in different rooms. Kathiresan, who was supposed to fix the router, saw a student in a room. He exposed his private parts. The survivor took a photo of the accused and ran away from the room. Though she informed the authorities, many, including the warden, tried to silence her," said the police.

After a preliminary investigation, Trichy SP Varun Kumar sent a team of 10 female police officers to inspect the facilities for the women students on campus.

"We identified a couple of CCTVs that were not functioning on campus. Students shared their concerns about victim-shaming by authorities. We had discussions with the authorities not to silence further complaints. We have also asked students to report any other previous incidents that had gone unnoticed in the institution," Varun Kumar told Puthiyathalaimurai TV.

"We had asked the authorities to fix CCTVs immediately and to ensure stringent safety measures, including a trained security agency to escort technician teams who enter the hostel premises," said Varun Kumar.

Meanwhile, when students demanded the suspension of Chief Warden Baby Vishwambharan, she offered an apology.

NIT Trichy responds

NIT Trichy issued a press release several hours after the protest. It quoted officials as saying that the issue, which was brought out by students through a protest, is being viewed with utmost sensitivity and concern.

‘’The NIT Trichy administration is distressed at the gross sexual misconduct of an outsourced worker in the Opal women’s hostel. The NIT Trichy administration has gone into the details of the unfortunate incident and has drawn out more stringent measures to ensure the safety of all students on campus, particularly the safety of girl students. The security officer has been instructed to be more vigilant so as to prevent such eventualities,’’ said the release.

On Friday, the overnight student agitation subsided after the police arrested the technician and an official from the institution issued an apology.

This incident comes in the wake of a protest at a private college in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh, where students alleged that an hidden camera was placed in the washroom of a women's hostel in the campus.

Helplines for women students:

Tamil Nadu women's helpline: 181

Tamil Nadu Women's Commission: 044-28592750, 044-28551155

Email: chairscwtn@yahoo.co.in

National Women's Commission helpline: 7827170170