A college or university campus should be a safe space where young women can walk with their heads held high and not cower in fear. Alas! Such is not the case in most institutions of learning. In universities, particularly, there is a certain power game that is played by those who are supposed to be mentors and guides for research scholars. Academia in this country is largely male dominated. It is a patriarchal domain where all the oppressive characteristics of the alpha male are let loose. Despite the stringent clauses of the Sexual Harassment of Women at the Workplace, Act, 2013, it has not served as a deterrent because the perpetrator feels that his prey is vulnerable and at his mercy. Most women scholars have put up with such evils so that they complete their thesis and earn their doctoral degrees. The kind of subservience, that women research scholars are made to go through and the sexual favours demanded of them by their research guides makes academia a very sick place indeed.
Not long ago a lady research scholar of a particular department of NEHU had a harrowing time because the Head of that Department refused to allow her to change her guide midway. The guide allotted by the HOD had expressed his discomfort about guiding her on the research topic she had opted for. It took a campaign by the media and her own spirited fight for justice to push the HOD to change his mind. Such instances abound but are largely buried under the carpet because parents often don’t support a young woman fighting against her teacher, guide and mentor. The question of family honour and prestige seem more important than the trauma that young researchers face.
The NEHU Women’s Cell constituted about 11 years ago has gone about its fact-finding task in the present sexual harassment case. However, it appears that the NEHU authorities have not familiarized themselves with the latest Act of 2013 which specifically mentions that under Section 4 of the Act an Internal Complaints Committee should be set up. A Women’s Cell has a benign sound. It does not have a legal connotation to it as the Internal Complaints Committee has. Awareness sessions for young students and research scholars on the salient features of the Sexual Harassment Act 2013 are imperative. Copies of the Act should be freely distributed in the campuses. Being well informed is being well armed. Every girl student should know her rights under the Act.