Harassment cases — Faculty says enough!

VADODARA, Aug 22: Attribute it to the law of averages if you will, but it is undeniable that public opinion, firmly in favour of the alle...

VADODARA, Aug 22: Attribute it to the law of averages if you will, but it is undeniable that public opinion, firmly in favour of the alleged student-victim of the sexual harassment case that rocked M S University in May, has swung around to the alleged perpetrator in a similar case that erupted last week.

Be that as it may, but the consensus across the university’s teaching community is that it is high time a permanent mechanism — a redressal forum, guidelines — was introduced to check such allegations/incidents in the campus.

They point out that more than the reputations of the student or teacher concerned — after all, there’s no agreement on their culpability — it is the university’s image that takes a battering. Moreover, while students feel such allegations negatively affect the delicate pupil-teacher relationship, lecturers say they also discourage them from taking on girl students.

“It is a matter of concern for the teaching community”, says Baroda University Teachers’ Association president A Peppalla. “Allegations may be baseless, but by the time the inquiry committee endorses that, his reputation may have already been damaged.”

Senior professors suggest such investigations be restricted to the university, instead of being splashed all over the media. “I don’t think such issues should be made public. After all, the reputation of both the student and the teacher are at stake”, a professor told Express Newsline on condition of anonymity.

Eminent sociologist and professor N Rajaram goes one step further to say such unsavoury complaints should be dealt with at the faculty level before either party was identified publicly. “Sexual harassment allegations do affect the reputations of all those involved. Committee recommendations won’t help that”, he says.

Acknowledging that such cases did affect the teacher-student relationship, Rajaram says, “A time may come when it is essential to redefine the relationship.”

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Renowned psychologist Bimla Parimu says sexual harassment cases could be avoided altogether by spreading awareness among students, teaching and non-teaching staff. “(Inquiry) committees can help, but they shouldn’t publicise the identities of those involved. That’ll only affect their futures”, she says.

Parimu points out also that it is never easy for a girl student to lodge such a complaint. “All faculties should have representatives they can go to. These representatives should present the case to the investigating panel”, she suggests.