Female Journo Sexually Harrasesd For Wearing Dress On Court Premises
Where is the fear of the law?
It is infuriating that a woman is sexually harassed because of what she is wearing. Her dress is blamed for “inviting” harassment but no one will blame the pathetic person’s sick mindset for passing such comments. Doesn’t matter where the woman is, at her workplace, at her home, or in a public place, she will be at the receiving end of criticism and lewd comments because of what she will be effing wearing. A court journalist experience this at the Madras High Court, and she took to Twitter to share this experience.
The journalist, whose Twitter handle is @ayeshaarvind, shared a series of tweets to share what she went through. She wrote that she came to the Madras High Court wearing a full-sleeved dress which not “provocative” in any way. In the press room of the court, a Press Trust of India journalist asked her if she was wearing anything ‘inside’ the dress and went ahead to laugh at his own comment. That man passed this lewd comment in front of other people.
#Sexualharassment
I came wearing a dress to the #MadrasHighCourt. Long, full sleeves, not "provocative" in any way.
At the press room here though, the @PTI_News reporter asked me in the presence of others if I was wearing anything inside and thought it fit to laugh after that.— ayesha arvind (@ayeshaarvind) December 22, 2022
In the following tweet, Ayesha wrote that she has worn the same dress to the Bombay High Court and ‘no one batted an eyelid at her’. She also went on to write that she is 37 years old and a mother of toddler twins and such an incident has never happened to her in her career so far.
In fact it's a dress that I have worn several times to the #BombayHC and no one has batted an eyelid there.
I am 37, a mother to toddler twins, and have been a court reporter forever now. Have never faced this before.— ayesha arvind (@ayeshaarvind) December 22, 2022
Further ahead, Ayesha wrote that she confronted that man and he pretended to not understand what she was saying. But he had the audacity to ask her how was she allowed inside the court wearing that dress. Ayesha had to use words like POSH (Prevention Of Sexual Harassment) and sexual harassment only then did other journalists come in to ask her to ignore that man because he was apparently “weird” with everyone.
When I told him I don't take these comments lightly, he first pretended to not understand what was wrong in what he said. And then said, "We here maintain certain standards. How were you allowed inside the court?"@PTI_News
— ayesha arvind (@ayeshaarvind) December 22, 2022
I had to throw in words like the #POSH Committee, #sexualharassment complaint etc, and only then the other reporters present there came to me asking me to ignore him, saying he was weird with everyone.@PTI_News
— ayesha arvind (@ayeshaarvind) December 22, 2022
Ayesha tagged the PTI’s Twitter handle, which responded to her complaint as well. Their response read, “The person in question is an independent advocate who occasionally contributes to PTI on legal stories from Chennai. As a responsible organisation, which has zero tolerance for such conduct, we have taken serious note of your complaint.”
Ayesha, you are a valued ex-colleague. The person in question is an independent advocate who occasionally contributes to PTI on legal stories from Chennai. As a responsible organisation, which has zero tolerance for such conduct, we have taken serious note of your complaint (1/2)
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 22, 2022
In the following tweet, they also informed her that an internal investigation has already begun and also advised her to file ‘a formal complaint to the appropriate authorities as provided by law’.
An investigation has already begun internally. If necessary, we will sever our relationship with him in accordance with our values and principles. He is not an employee. We also encourage you to make a formal complaint to the appropriate authorities as provided by law. (2/2)
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 22, 2022
Also read: Kerala High Court Questions Night Curfew For Women, Says Lock Men Up Instead. We’re Nodding Our Heads In Agreement!
Many Twitter users reached out to Ayesha and supported her. They lauded her decision to call him out and urge PTI to take action against him as well.
So sorry Ayesha. Hope @PTI_News and its editors are taking note of this for the requisite action against this person.
— Aamir (@thereal_aamirk) December 22, 2022
So sorry you had to go through this. Glad to see PTI’s prompt response. Take care, Ayesha
— amrita madhukalya (@visually_kei) December 23, 2022
This is pathetic, So sorry. Hope the news agency takes some action
— Anubhav Kumar (@iam_anubhav) December 22, 2022
WTH! Is this for real? It is sick. Totally condemnable. How is this person a journalist? @PTI_News Please take action against this person immediately.
— geeta seshu (@geetaseshu) December 22, 2022
Even a learned person like a journalist can stoop as low as this, then, what can be expected from other men? The irony of the situation is that he is a law journalist, standing on the court premises and passing such a disgusting comment on a woman. If men who know the law don’t fear it, other men are also going to follow suit, na.
26% Indian Court Complexes Do Not Have Separate Women’s Toilets
