India has consistently reported more than 400 sexual harassment at work cases every year from 2018 to 2022, according to a Business Standard report, which cited data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). The NCRB has data only till 2022.
The average number of cases reported yearly in this period was 445. In 2022, it was 419 cases, or about 35 a month.
This also means that statistically, at least one or more workplace sexual harassment case is filed every day.
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Which state had the most number of reported sexual harassment at work cases?
In 2022, Himachal Pradesh had the highest number of sexual harassment cases at the workplace at 97. This was followed by 83 in Kerala, 46 in Maharashtra, and 43 in Karnataka.
However, West Bengal, which is currently seeing protests after the recent rape and murder of the trainee doctor at Kolkata’s R G Kar Hospital, recorded only one workplace sexual harassment case in 2022.
Sexual harassment complaints at companies
Companies reported 1,160 sexual harassment complaints in the financial year 2022-23, according to the report, which cited data from the Centre for Economic Data and Analysis at Ashoka University. This was the highest number in the past decade.
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The data came from a sample of 300 companies, which includes ones ranked till 100 on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) in terms of market cap, another 100 companies ranked 957 to 1057, and yet another 100 ranked from 1,914 and 2,013.
How many workplace sexual harassment cases are still pending?
The report stated that in 2022-23, 202 cases were still pending. The difference between the reported and resolved cases comes due to complainants withdrawing their complaints or the complainant or the accused leaving the company.
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The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act (POSH Act), was enacted just more than a decade ago in 2013 for safeguarding women and providing sexual harassment addressal mechanisms.