Many victims don't want to lodge formal complaints: NCW

The National Commission for Women said Wednesday many victims of sexual abuse do not want to "go beyond naming and shaming" the alleged offenders and lodge a formal complaint.

The NCW said it has urged victims of sexual abuse to register their written complaints with authorities concerned, including with the National Commission for Women.

"The commission has accordingly noticed that in many such cases, the victims do not want to go beyond naming and shaming the alleged offenders and lodge a formal complaint," the NCW said in a statement.

Noting that the commission condemns any act of invasion of private space of women, it said it has taken a serious note of the instances of sexual harassment of women that have figured in the media recently.

"The commission is committed to ensure safety and dignity of women including at workplaces. The commission is of the considered view that such violation infringes the constitutional rights of women and the perpetrators of such violence need to be penalised as per law," the NCW said.

The movement, on the lines of Hollywood's #MeToo, started after actor Tanushree Dutta alleged that Nana Patekar sexually harassed her on the sets of a movie in 2008. Patekar has rejected Dutta's allegations.

The movement has gained momentum as more women share on social media their experiences of sexual harassment in the entertainment and media industry.