Women panel seeks report on sexual abuse of farmhands

Vishav Bharti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 21

Taking cognisance of a report on sexual abuse being faced by Dalit women labourers in fields in the state, the National Commission for Women has sought a copy of the study from Punjabi University, Patiala.

A team of researchers of the university led by Prof Gian Singh have carried out a study, covering over 1,000 Dalit agricultural labourers from all three regions of Punjab, and found that 70 per cent of the women faced sexual abuse while at work.

In a communication sent to the Registrar of the university last week, the commission has sought a copy of the report.

The study titled, “Socio-Economic Condition and Political Participation of Rural Women Labourers in Punjab” was released in March. The findings were widely reported in the media.

The information regarding the sexual exploitation/harassment faced by rural women labourers at workplace was collected, in a different form, from their husbands, employers and male co- workers, besides the respondent women labourers. The study has found that 5 per cent of the women had accepted that they faced sexual abuse, 70 per cent remained silent and 24 per cent said they never faced any such situation.

Prof Gian Singh said 70 per cent of the surveyed Dalit women refusing to answer the questions tells a lot. “It was due to social taboo and insecurity of losing work, they are not comfortable with reporting the harassment.”

Apart from that the study observed that the sexual harassment hampers women’s constitutional rights and dignity. It sabotages their work performance, affects their working environment and diminishes women’s progress.

The findings

• The study covered 1,017 rural Dalit women.
• 5.64% women in Malwa, 4.87% Majha and 4.23% Doaba reported that they faced sexual exploitation at workplace.
• 27.94% women in Malwa, 22.31% Doaba and 21.78% Majha reported that they never faced any such harassment at workplace.
• A majority of women, 73.46% in Doaba, 73.45% Majha and 66.42% Malwa refused to answer the question.