Reverse power play

The days of reckoning are here to stay with skeletons of sexual misconduct continuing to tumble out of powerful closets in a post MeTooworld With a vast majority of these allegations being levelled at influential men by women questions about the role of gender in the abuse of power have been raised However recent reports about American pop star Katy Perry who has been accused of inappropriate conduct by three men including Josh Kloss who had appeared in Perrys music video have challenged this rhetoric In the process weve also come to learn about what happens when men dare to speak up about being sexually harassed mdash in all three cases the men accusing Perry of sexual misconduct were harassed and blamed of lying for attentionKaty Perry with Josh Kloss in the video of Teenage Dream 2010HimTooAt its core sexual harassment arises from the abuse of power irrespective of gender Both men and women in positions of power can abuse their influence to demand sexual favours However cases of men reporting such harassment are few for a number of reasons The most pertinent being the stigma associated with the concept of men experiencing sexual harassment Most men are therefore too embarrassed to report misconduct fearing that it may indicate unmanly behaviour on their part They are afraid of being mocked or ridiculed explains Dr Payal Sharma Kamath psyshycshyhiatrist at Rekindle Mind Clinic Another reason she says is a perceptual difference or how the incident is perceived based on the victims mindset and past experiencesDr Payal Sharma KamathMen have been conditioned into believing that harassment against them is less threatening and can even be flatteringIn certain cases men may experience physical arousal during the incident which confuses them into not reporting the incident But the bodys physiological reaction does not mean that you invited or enjoyed the assault says Dr Nahid Dave psychiatrist at Insight Clinic The effects of harassment can be as lasting and damaging to male victims They experience shame and selfdoubt arising from the belief that they should have beshyen strong enough to fight off the perpetrator she adds Proloshynshyged harassment can trigger anshyxiety depression and PTSD and even lead to confusion abshyoshyut sexual orientation Men struggle with feeling as though they are less of a man for experiencing and being traumatised The fear of disbelief makes them reluctant to disclose abusive behaviour she addsForum MasterReporting misconductFrom a legal perspective sexual harassment as identified by the Indian Penal Code is directed largely at harassment experienced by women This stems from the fact that the procedural guidelines that are currently being followed have stemmed from the Vishakha Guidelines disseminated by the Indian Supreme Court in 1997 which were later superseded by the POSH Act or The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Prevention Prohibition and Redressal Act of 2013 There are no laws formulated explicitly for men or from a genderneutral perspective In fact even our rape laws are not genderneutral In dire circumstances men may invoke certain sections of the IPC such as 294 that addresses obscene acts or words in public If the harassment escalates to stalking or affects the victims personal liberty and safety the accused may be prosecuted for criminal intimidation explains advocate Dr Chinmay Bhosale partner at SRB OJASChinmay BhosaleFor harassment experienced at the workplace women are safeguarded by committees and procedures that have been mandated by law However since many organisations still abide by such laws on a needtodo basis in most cases male professionals are not as well protected he adds Fortunately corporate India has been rising to the evolving needs by taking initiatives to ensure that employees irrespective of gender have access to fair working conditions Katyayani Pandey an HR professional at Big Four a consulting firm explains that most multinational companies treat allegations of sexual misconduct seriouslyKatyayani PandeyAlthough not mandated by law the POSH committee at most companies is accessible to all employees regardless of gender Even the occasional offcolour remark does not go unchecked Should you or your colleague experience any such incident do not hesitate to approach the designated committee representative who is usually an HR employee Do note however that not all HR team members have the right access to address and resolve your concerns she saysForum Master an HR executive adds that many organisations have a special email address for employees to directly reach out to the committee This committee acts as a civil court and is usually comprised of an equal number of members from both genders The claims are investigated and disciplinary action is taken against the guilty party Measures are also taken to protect the identity of the survivor she says While social media did play a pertinent role in making the MeToo movement spread its wings both caution that social media only be used as a final recourse when all formal channels have been exhausted Without the organisation stepping in to protect the survivor the perpetrator can resort to retaliatory action Master warnsCase studyManav Dheer name changed a 27yearold PR professional says that a senior colleague in the media recently approached him during an event For me what made the advance feel especially predatory was that he took the liberty of fondling me without the slightest consideration about my willingness I brushed his hands away and rushed out of the room immediately Throughout the evening I could feel his eyes on me I took pains to avoid inadvertently running into him as I could tell that he was looking for another opportunity to approach me he says Dheer did not discuss this with his seniors or HR for fear of word reaching his perpetrator who he says is capable of destroying any prospects of professional growth He is well known and even feared in the industry My company would never dare to lock horns with him and our client would drop us immediately if they knew we were going against this individual he saysKnow this firstConsent can be conditional Being in a romantic or sexual relationship with someone does not automatically translate to consent Consent must be given each time and be clear and enthusiasticAcknowledge your own boundaries Be clear how close you are willing to allow someone without compromising on your dignityCommunicate Make sure to clearly state your boundaries so as to avoid unwanted incidentsAction not intent Avoid addressing the intent of the perpetrator It is the harm that the action is causing you that matters not intentAsk State the behaviour you expect from the other individual in future Do not hesitate to reiterate the sameWhat constitutes sexual harassment Retaliation for refusing sexual advances Offcolour jokes Uncomfortable touch Referring to individuals with offensive termsCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news 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