Workplace Harassment in India: Why 69% of Women Don't Report
Workplace Harassment in India: The Silent Crisis
Sexual harassment in professional settings remains pervasive yet underreported. Despite legal frameworks like the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) Act, the problem persists, and most women choose not to report.
The Numbers
Prevalence
- 53% of women have been subject to sexual comments, gestures, and jokes at the workplace
- More than 70% of respondents have felt uncomfortable at the workplace because of presence of a colleague
- 20% of respondents reported unwanted attempts by colleagues to engage in sexual activities
Underreporting
- 68.7% of individuals who experienced sexual harassment at work chose not to make a formal written or spoken complaint
- Less than 1% of women reported incidents of harassment to the police (2010, Jagori)
Why Women Don't Report
The barriers to reporting are complex and interconnected:
Fear of Professional Repercussions
- Concern about job security and career advancement
- Fear of being labeled a "troublemaker"
- Worry about retaliation from colleagues or supervisors
Lack of Trust in Systems
- Doubts about whether complaints will be taken seriously
- Concern that internal complaints committees may not be impartial
- Fear that reporting will make the situation worse
Societal Stigma
- Fear of being blamed for the incident
- Concern about family and community reactions
- Stigma associated with being a "victim"
Lack of Awareness
- Many women don't know their rights under PoSH Act
- Unclear about how to file a complaint
- Lack of information about support systems
Broader Context
Workplace harassment doesn't exist in isolation. It's part of a continuum of gender-based violence:
- 1 in 3 married women reported facing violence at least once in their lives in India (NFHS-5, 2019-21)
- Harassment in public spaces affects women's decisions about where to work
- The fear of harassment on the way to work adds another layer of stress
What Needs to Change
1. Better Implementation of PoSH Act
While the PoSH Act exists, implementation is often weak:
- Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) may not be properly constituted
- Training on PoSH is often inadequate or non-existent
- Complaint processes may be unclear or intimidating
2. Creating Safe Spaces
Organizations need to:
- Create genuinely safe spaces for reporting
- Ensure confidentiality and protection from retaliation
- Build trust in complaint mechanisms
3. Changing Workplace Culture
Prevention requires cultural change:
- Greater representation of women in leadership
- Training that goes beyond compliance to address root causes
- Accountability for perpetrators, not just victims
4. Support for Survivors
Women who report need:
- Access to counseling and mental health support
- Legal aid and support through the process
- Protection from retaliation
Informal Sector Workers
Informal sector workers, including domestic workers, remain largely excluded from legal protections and grievance redressal mechanisms. This exclusion exacerbates vulnerability for informal workers, who often have:
- No formal employment contracts
- Limited access to legal recourse
- Overlapping definitions of "workplace" and "domestic space"
Our Work
At Aparajita, we recognize that workplace harassment is a critical issue that requires evidence-based solutions. Through our research and funding, we support:
- Programs that create safer workplace environments
- Training for employers and employees
- Innovations in reporting and redressal mechanisms
- Support for informal sector workers
By addressing workplace harassment as part of the broader continuum of gender-based violence, we can create safer, more equitable work environments for all women.
The Hidden Cost of Safety: How Fear of Harassment Shapes Women's Choices
The Hidden Cost of Safety
Fear of harassment forces women to make costly sacrifices in their daily lives. These trade-offs represent a broader violation of women's rights to education, mobility, and economic opportunity.
The Trade-offs Women Make
1. Education: Choosing Safety Over Quality
Women are willing to choose a college that is 8.8% (or 5.8 ranks) lower in quality for additional safety. This means a woman might select a college ranked 50th instead of 45th, or 100th instead of 95th - simply because it feels safer.
This represents a fundamental violation of the right to quality education. When safety concerns override educational aspirations, it limits women's potential and perpetuates inequality.
2. Time: 27 Extra Minutes Every Day
Women are willing to travel an additional 27 minutes daily - or 40% more than their daily travel time - for additional safety. Over a year, this adds up to:
- 164 hours of extra travel time
- Nearly 7 full days spent commuting
- Time that could be spent on work, education, or rest
This "time tax" disproportionately affects women, limiting their ability to participate fully in economic and social life.
3. Money: INR 17,500 More Per Year
Women are willing to travel by a route that costs INR 17,500 (USD 250) more per year as long as it is safer. For many families, especially those with limited income, this represents a significant financial burden.
This "safety premium" is often unaffordable, forcing women to choose between safety and financial stability.
Why These Trade-offs Matter
These sacrifices are not just individual choices - they represent systemic barriers that limit women's freedom and opportunities:
- Educational Inequality: When women choose lower-quality colleges for safety, it perpetuates educational and economic inequality
- Economic Impact: Extra travel time and costs reduce women's economic productivity and financial resources
- Psychological Toll: Constant fear and the need to make these trade-offs takes a psychological toll on women
- Rights Violation: These forced choices violate women's fundamental rights to education, mobility, and economic opportunity
Beyond the Numbers
Behind these statistics are real women making difficult choices every day:
- A student choosing a college closer to home, even though it offers fewer opportunities
- A working woman taking a longer, more expensive route to avoid harassment hotspots
- A mother spending extra time and money to ensure her daughter's safety
What Needs to Change
These trade-offs should not be necessary. We need:
- Safer Public Spaces: Infrastructure and policies that make all spaces safe for women
- Better Data: Understanding where and when harassment occurs to target interventions
- Evidence-Based Solutions: Programs proven to reduce harassment and create safer environments
- Systemic Change: Addressing root causes and changing attitudes that enable harassment
Our Commitment
At Aparajita, we believe no woman should have to choose between safety and opportunity. Through our research, funding, and partnerships, we're working to create solutions that eliminate the need for these trade-offs.
By bridging the data gap and supporting evidence-based interventions, we can build a future where women can pursue education, work, and life without fear.
Expert Roundtable 2023: Key Takeaways on Prevention, Justice, and Community Mobilization
Expert Roundtable 2023: Key Takeaways
In March 2023, Aparajita convened its first expert roundtable to explore solutions to gender-based violence. This gathering brought together leading experts, researchers, and practitioners to discuss prevention, justice, and community mobilization.
Key Themes Discussed
1. Changing Attitudes and Norms
Experts emphasized the need to shift focus toward prevention and changing attitudes and beliefs. Key strategies discussed:
- Engaging young people through education and mass media interventions
- Shifting focus from response to prevention
- Changing attitudes and beliefs that perpetuate gender-based violence
2. Harassment Within Universities and Workspaces
The roundtable highlighted critical gaps in addressing harassment in educational and professional settings:
- Need for compulsory training in universities and workspaces
- Need for greater representation of women in leadership in organizations
- Better implementation of PoSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) Act
3. Role of Media, Films, and Social Media
Experts discussed the powerful role of media in shaping attitudes:
- Role of media, films, and social media in upbringing of boys and girls
- Engagement with filmmakers and media houses
- Training journalists on gender-sensitive reporting
4. Fixing the Justice System and Redressal Mechanisms
A critical theme was improving access to justice:
- Women's access to justice and legal aid
- Supporting survivors through the legal process
- Need for awareness and better implementation of legal frameworks
5. Community Mobilization and Women's "Power Within"
Experts emphasized the importance of community-level change:
- Importance of community mobilization
- Enabling women's "power within": tapping into women's intrinsic sense of agency, empowerment, efficacy, and confidence
- Building support networks at the grassroots level
Impact on Aparajita's Strategic Focus
The insights from this roundtable continue to inform Aparajita's strategic priorities. Many of the themes discussed - from prevention to community mobilization - have shaped our focus areas and workstreams.
This foundational conversation set the stage for our ongoing work to bridge the data gap and support evidence-based solutions to end gender-based violence in India.
New Survey Reveals: 1 in 2 Women in Jaipur, 2 in 3 in Delhi Experienced Harassment Last Year
Survey Overview
In 2024, J-PAL South Asia conducted 10-minute surveys with women in Jaipur and Delhi to capture the prevalence of sexual harassment in public spaces in India.
Sample
- 1,899 women in Jaipur
- 2,093 women in Delhi
- Ages 19-40
- Surveyed in public spaces: bus stops, street markets, and metro (Delhi)
Key Findings
Prevalence
The numbers are stark: 1 out of 2 women in Jaipur experienced sexual harassment outside their home in the last year. In Delhi, the figure is even higher: 2 out of 3 women experienced harassment.
More specifically:
- 34% of women in Jaipur have been groped, stalked, flashed, or assaulted outside their home in the past year
- 42% of women in Delhi have been groped, stalked, flashed, or assaulted outside their home in the past year
Where Harassment Occurs
Women experience sexual harassment on the streets, in buses, in shops, and even at hospitals, colleges, and places of worship. Most sexual harassment occurs during daytime.
Location breakdown:
- 70% of women reported being harassed on the roadside
- 50% of women reported being harassed in public transport
- 42% of women faced harassment waiting for public transport
Impact on Women's Lives
The psychological and practical impact is profound:
- 95% of women say they are anxious about being sexually harassed when they leave their home
- 2/3 of women feel extremely anxious about facing sexual harassment of some form when they travel outside their home
- The risk of sexual harassment affects women's decisions about whether to work and where to work
- It significantly influences women's decision-making processes
- It undermines women's confidence and affects their work
- Women fear reporting incidents to the police
The Hidden Cost: Trade-offs Women Make for Safety
Fear of harassment forces women to make costly sacrifices in their daily lives:
- Education: Women are willing to choose a college that is 8.8% (or 5.8 ranks) lower in quality for additional safety
- Time: Women are willing to travel an additional 27 minutes daily or 40% more than their daily travel time for additional safety
- Money: Women are willing to travel by a route that costs INR 17,500 (USD 250) more per year as long as it is safer
Workplace Harassment
Sexual harassment extends into professional settings:
- 53% of women have been subject to sexual comments, gestures and jokes at the workplace
- More than 70% of respondents have felt uncomfortable at the workplace because of presence of a colleague
- 20% of respondents reported unwanted attempts by colleagues to engage in sexual activities
- 68.7% of individuals who experienced sexual harassment at work chose not to make a formal written or spoken complaint
Barriers to Reporting
Reasons why women do not report incidents to the police:
- Police would trivialize the matter
- Blame them for the incident
- Turn around and harass them
- Less than 8% of women knew of any helpline number to call if harassed in public spaces
- Six in ten respondents rely on informal networks for support in incidents of harassment
Why This Data Matters
These findings reveal the urgent need for evidence-based solutions. Despite the extent of the problem, quality data and solutions to tackle gender-based violence are missing. National surveys do not collect data on violence outside the home, and other survey estimates are a decade old.
This survey represents a critical step toward bridging the data gap and informing evidence-based interventions that can make a real difference in women's lives.
