Women's Commission Chairperson Asks JNU To Withdraw "Misogynist" Circular

Rekha Sharma, the chairperson of the National Commission of Women (NCW) has sought for withdrawal of a circular issued by the Jawaharlal Nehru University calling it "misogynist."

In a tweet, Sharma tagged the circular which says girls are "supposed to know how to draw a tangible line between them and their male friends". The circular was issued by the university on sexual harassment. Rekha Sharma asked for its withdrawal and said, "Why all the teachings are always for girls only? Time to teach harassers not the victims. The misogynist circular of #JNU should be withdrawn. Internal committee should have Victim-Centred approach and not otherwise."

NCW Asks To Withdraw JNU Sexual Harassment Circular:

JNU's internal complaints committee has uploaded the said circular on the university's website with a notification that they will organise a counselling session on sexual harassment on January 17. Such sessions will be organised on a monthly basis, the committee added.

The circular had a subheading which read " why is the counselling session required" under which it said that the sessions will make students aware about the consist of sexual harassment, the repercussions in cases someone is found guilty, to answer student's queries and to provide instructions of the "Do'es and Don'ts" when it comes to sexual harassment.

ICC presiding officer P Kumari in a statement to ANI said, "JNU Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) circular on sexual harassment counselling sessions shouldn't be controversial. After many cases,we realized students don't know what's sexual harassment, so related queries can be asked in counselling session."

Suggested Reading: Victim-shaming Top Reason For Survivors To Not Report Sex Crimes: Experts

It added that students are given counselling during the orientation programme at the start of every academic year and that they need to revisit the knowledge about sexual harassment from time to time.

The circular read, "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 University added the committee has a zero-tolerance policy towards any kind of sexual harassment.