COMPLAINTS COMMITTEE AGAINST SEXUAL HARASSMENT (CCASH)

In compliance with the Supreme Court Judgement and guidelines issued in 1997 as well as the “Sexual harassment of Women at Work Place (Prevention, prohibition and Redressal ) Bill 2006”, to provide for the effective enforcement of the basic human right of gender equality and guarantee against sexual harassment and abuse, RSET had constituted a Women’s Grievance Redressal Committee (WGRC) in 2009. The aforesaid bill was enacted in April 2013 and keeping with the spirit of the act, the WGRC has been renamed as the Complaints Committee against Sexual harassment (CCASH) to make its purpose more explicit. 

Committee members
1. Dr Jayanthi V.S. - Chaiperson
2. Ms Nisha K. P. - Convener
3. Ms Jayasri R. Nair - DEE
4. Ms Priya S. - DEI
5. Ms Kavitha M. - DCE
6. Dr Sherly K.K. -DIT
7. Ms Anita John - DCS
8. Mr Mathew Baby - DME
9. Dr Jaya Abraham – DMA
10. Dr Deepa K. Baby - DBSH
11. Mr Reji V.V. - Administration
12. Dr Celine Sunny - Sociologist and Research head, RCSS (ex-officio member)
13. Student Council Vice Chairperson (ex-officio member)

Objectives: 
1.    To act as an inquiry authority on a complaint of sexual harassment.
2.    Deal with cases of sexual harassment in a time bound manner, aiming at ensuring support services to the victimized and termination of the harassment.
3.   Take proactive measures to sensitize the staff, faculty and students about gender issues, sexual harassment and its legal implications through awareness seminars, campaigns, talks etc.
Procedure for Lodging a Complaint with the Committee 
A written complaint of sexual harassment may be lodged by the aggrieved woman (who can be a teaching or non-teaching staff or a student of RSET) or a third party with any member of the complaints committee within a period of three months from the date of sexual harassment or in case of a series of incidents within a period of three months from the date of last incident. An inquiry will be conducted soon afterwards and during the pendency of the inquiry the aggrieved woman will be provided with all the necessary support as deemed fit for the situation on her request. According to the Supreme court guidelines, sexual harassment can be defined as "unwelcome" sexually determined behaviour (whether directly or by implication)  such as:

  • Physical contact and advances;
  • Demand or request for sexual favours;
  • Sexually coloured remarks;
  • Showing pornography; and
  • Other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature.(Vishaka judgment by Supreme Court)

The following are also sexual harassments and are covered by the committee:

  • Eve-teasing,
  • Jokes causing or likely to cause awkwardness or embarrassment,
  • Innuendos and taunts,
  • Gender based insults or sexist remarks,
  • Unwelcome sexual overtone in any manner such as over telephone (obnoxious telephone calls) and the like,
  • Touching or brushing against any part of the body and the like,
  • Displaying pornographic or other offensive or derogatory pictures, cartoons, pamphlets or sayings,
  • Implied or explicit promise of preferential treatment in her employment in exchange for sexual favours
  • Implied or explicit promise of threat/detrimental treatment in her employment on refusal of sexual favours
  • Interference with her work or creating an intimidating/hostile work environment for her.