JNU Circular On Counselling Session On Sexual Harassment Criticised By Students' Outfits
NDTV
A circular for a counselling session by JNU on sexual harassment, which says girls are "suppose to know how to draw a tangible line between them and their male friends", has drawn the ire of student outfits who said it reeks of victim shaming.
A circular for a counselling session by JNU on sexual harassment, which says girls are "suppose to know how to draw a tangible line between them and their male friends", has drawn the ire of student outfits who said it reeks of victim shaming. The internal complaints committee (ICC) of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has uploaded the circular on the varsity's website saying that it will organise a counselling session on sexual harassment on January 17.
It also said that such sessions will be organised on a monthly basis. Under the subhead "why is the counselling session required", the circular said that it will make students aware about what consists of sexual harassment. It also said that students are being counselled during the orientation programme and on the inception of each academic year, they need to refresh their knowledge about the same, time to time. "ICC come across a number of cases where sexual harassment takes place among close friends.
Boys generally cross (sometimes advertently, sometimes inadvertently) the thin line between friendship's bantering and sexual harassment. Girls suppose to know how to draw a tangible line (between them and their male friends) to avoid any such harassments (sic)," the circular read. It also stated that the ICC has a zero-tolerance policy towards any kind of sexual harassment. "Number of cases have been dealt with successfully in this academic year. In addition to its usual course of action, ICC, JNU, would like to introduce a counselling session on a monthly basis for all aspiring students who want to know dos and don'ts in regard of sexual harassment," read the circular.
It said that students will get to know what is sexual harassment and its prospective repercussions in the sessions. Listing out the benefits of these sessions, the varsity said that "the number of sexual harassment cases will be reduced for sure". "Dissipate any confusion related to sexual harassment. Anyone could get answer of one's queries related to sexual harassment," said the circular. It said that after getting 20 such forms for registration for the session, the ICC will organise such events on a monthly basis. On the girls are "suppose to know how to draw a tangible line between them and their male friends" statement in the circular, Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union president Aishe Ghosh said it was a victim shaming remark.
