Harassment cases 8212; 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 university8217;s teaching community is that it is high time a permanent mechanism 8212; a redressal forum, guidelines 8212; was introduced to check such allegations/incidents in the campus.

They point out that more than the reputations of the student or teacher concerned 8212; after all, there8217;s no agreement on their culpability 8212; it is the university8217;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.

8220;It is a matter of concern for the teaching community8221;, says Baroda University Teachers8217; Association president A Peppalla. 8220;Allegations may be baseless, but by the time the inquiry committee endorses that, his reputation may have already been damaged.8221;

Senior professors suggest such investigations be restricted to the university, instead of being splashed all over the media. 8220;I don8217;t think such issues should be made public. After all, the reputation of both the student and the teacher are at stake8221;, 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. 8220;Sexual harassment allegations do affect the reputations of all those involved. Committee recommendations won8217;t help that8221;, he says.

Acknowledging that such cases did affect the teacher-student relationship, Rajaram says, 8220;A time may come when it is essential to redefine the relationship.8221;

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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. 8220;Inquiry committees can help, but they shouldn8217;t publicise the identities of those involved. That8217;ll only affect their futures8221;, she says.

Parimu points out also that it is never easy for a girl student to lodge such a complaint. 8220;All faculties should have representatives they can go to. These representatives should present the case to the investigating panel8221;, she suggests.