Go beyond naming, shaming — lodge plaint: NCW

NEW DELHI, DHNS: Breaking silence on the 'MeToo' movement, the National Commission for Women (NCW) on Wednesday said it was committed to protect women from sexual harassment but many of the victims do not want to "go beyond naming and shaming" the alleged offenders and lodge a formal complaint.

In a statement released on Twitter, the rights body said it has taken "serious note" of the instances of sexual harassment of women that have figured in media recently, exhorting the victims to lodge written complaints with it and other authorities concerned for action.

"The prevalent culture of silence has long prevented women from speaking out and reporting such cases. The commission has accordingly noticed that in many cases, the victims do not want to go beyond naming and shaming the alleged offenders and lodge a formal complaint," it said.

The NCW "strongly condemns" any act of invasion of the private space of women, it said.

"In such cases, the commission would urge them to lodge their written complaints with authorities concerned including with the NCW," it said.

The rights body body said it was of the "considered view" that such violations infringe upon the constitutional rights of women, saying the perpetrators of such violence "needs to be penalised as per law".

"The NCW strongly condemns any act of invasion of the private space of women," it said.

Seeking to infuse confidence into the victims of sexual harassment, the NCW said it has continued to make efforts to reach out to all such woman who have come out with details of sexual harassment at workplace and has offered all possible help to them.

"The commission is committed to facilitate and render all possible help to all women who have come forward with such complaints and see it to a logical conclusion, it said.

It appreciated "the bravery" of the women who have come out to speak about the instances of sexual harassment that they faced and also those coming forward to help punish perpetrators of "such violence."