#MeToo – Unchecked Power & the backlash – A nuanced perspective !

The sheer number of testimonies that the movement has witnessed has actually vindicated the theories of sexism being omnipresent. It may not be uniform but is a universal phenomenon. It may camouflage itself in various shades but is scathing the victims’ right beneath the skin, the marks of which are difficult to erase.

What the world recognizes as the #MeToo movement is not a sudden occurrence but the real life experiences of everyday people who survived sexual violence in its various forms. They have been sexually harassed, abused, assaulted & yet have gathered the courage to stand in the face of truth. Women across the world have endured harassment from people who may never make it to the headlines but the wrath & suffering it caused will only get intense if, we do not stand together in demand for justice for the voices.

The #MeToo movement is about showing mirror to the culture that accepts and propagates harassment as a currency or by-product of power. The Movement has seen enormous accomplishments where the victims are being heard, believed & supported without being slut-shamed or smeared. Predators are being called out, publicly shamed and being punished appropriately.

For long the predatory behavior of men since women entered the workplace has been tolerated, celebrated or covered up. Victims of Sexual Harassment have faced end-to-end harassment by all stakeholders involved whom she approached which even included other women folks in positions of power. This movement is all about awakening the consciousness, unity & need for confrontation with the prevailing systemic injustice.

A spurt of second-wave feminists has come out against the #MeToo movement. They have been boldly declaring that women have gone too far, exaggerating the experiences & are misusing the #MeToo movement. These pseudo-feminists do not realize that their attempt to safeguard men who ignored their boundaries in pursuit of personal pleasure is futile. Their resistance says a lot not only about the dominant and dangerous perceptions they have regarding the concept of sexual consent, but also the self-image they keep for being a women. They feel they are strong, while the other women have been too careless with their accusations, too fragile, too whiny. The real danger to this movement are not the men who care little to nothing about consent, but these so called “privileged” women who are inexplicably eager to ruin men over their misdemeanors & regrets w.r.t consent & abuse of power.

The #MeToo movement has highlighted the need for people to respect sexual boundaries, and obtain clear consent from partners. #MeToo is also an effort to help everyone have better, safer workplaces as people who engage in workplace sexual harassment are often willing to violate other boundaries as well & create a culture of bullying and mental cruelty that breeds harassment.

Although, the law provides for countering this through The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, there are still way too many deficiencies that make it nearly impossible for the victim to actually even hope for justice & this is another reason why #MeToo comes to their rescue. The power play supersedes every provision the law has made in the Act.

Narrating a real life incident of a Sexual Harassment Survivor:

X is an excellent programmer & has been doing wonderfully well in the work sphere. She joins a new company & out performs herself. The reporting manager starts eyeing & demanding sexual favors indirectly. Even, after warning many times when he does not stop, she approaches the following:

1.     Human Resource Manager (Male)

2.     Managing Director (Male)

3.     Internal Complaints Committee as per Section 4 of the Act (50% Females)

4.     Local Complaints Committee as per Section 6 of the Act (50% Females)

5.     Nearest Police station (Women Cell) where getting the FIR is not less than a battle.

6.     Finally, exhausting all the options she takes it on to the Social Media

Right from 1 to 5, the abuse of power & money has evidently denied her justice while being threatened for life all this while, and then what’s wrong if she pours her heart out on social media & joins the #MeToo movement. It has not been easy at all.

If we don’t shift our focus and actually look at the harassment faced by people saying, “Me too,” then we are going to waste a really valuable opportunity to change the nature of how we think about sexual violence in this country.

In my efforts to make workplaces safe and prevent Sexual Harassment at Workplace, I will be available for counselling to those who are going through this emotional trauma and it's various aspects that can be tormenting.

Feel free to reach out to me at [email protected] to understand more about the law that's made for you and it's application in the right way.  This is Pro Bono!!

#SupportMeToo       #IndiaMeToo            #WeAreListening    #StandUpForTheCause

#SayNoToSexualHarassment        #JusticedelayedIsJusticeDenied