Playing it safe

Although there are laws protecting Indian women from sexual harassment, there are also steps that women can take to avoid these kind of traumatic situations, especially at work.

Avoid solitary contacts with the harasser. Make sure that you meet him in the presence of other people.

Leave office doors open when meeting one-on-one with another person. Maintain 'professional' relationships/boundaries between co-workers, supervisors, and people being supervised.

Minimise or avoid late night or one-on-one purely social engagements with the people you have a professional relationship with; these tend to confuse the personal and professional relationships.

Politely and firmly tell a person when his behaviour makes you feel uncomfortable, or, leave a situation when you feel ill at \ ease.

Say 'No', and say it clearly. Tell the harasser the attention is unwanted and offensive to you.

Check the harasser in front of his colleagues or friends. Nothing like public condemnation to deter people.

These are just some of the ways to avoid the indignity of being harassed. Laws against these have been implemented. Don't keep silent if you are the victim, whether verbal or sexual. You need to be strong and brave.