A circular issued by the Jawaharlal Nehru University in December, which says that girls are supposed to know how to maintain a certain distance from their male friends, has elicited the ire of students, who have condemned the communication for victim-blaming.
The circular for a counselling session on sexual harassment being offered to the students of the central university states:
"Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) has come across a number of cases, wherein 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 are supposed to know how to draw a tangible line (between them and their male friends) to avoid any such harassments."JNU Circular
Listing the benefits of the counselling session, the ICC stated in the official communication that the "number of sexual harassment cases will be reduced for sure."
The notice, posted on the varsity's website, is dated 17 December.
'Blatant Victim-Blaming': JNUSU President Aishe Ghosh
"The ICC in JNU makes a blatant victim-blaming remark by asking 'women to draw a tangible line to not get harassed by their male members.' The ICC in JNU, time and again, has passed such regressive remarks or conducted itself in a way to moral police the survivor," JNU Students' Association president Aishe Ghosh was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
The All India Students' Association (AISA) also asserted its censure of the university's notice.
"The ICC of JNU has come up with a notice on counselling session for JNU students on sexual harassment. As one of the reasons for requiring such a session, the ICC writes: 'girls are supposed to know how to draw a tangible line (between them and their male friends) to avoid any such harassments.' This exposes the attitude of victim-blaming, which the ICC has been practising," the student outfit was quoted as saying by PTI.
Meanwhile, Madhurima Kundu, secretary, AISA JNU, said that the ICC has repeatedly resorted to victim-blaming and suggested that victims take counselling sessions on gender sensitisation.
"And now, we can see that the ICC is actively conducting such sessions to teach women how not to get harassed. This sham must end. The ICC needs to go away. GSCASH needs to be reinstated," Kundu said.
'Why are All the Teachings Only for Girls,' Asks Chairperson, NCW
Rekha Sharma, the Chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW), said that it was time to hold harassers accountable instead of moral policing women.
"The misogynist circular of JNU should be withdrawn. Internal committee should have a victim-centered approach and not otherwise," Sharma further said.
ICC Presiding Officer Defends Circular
JNU's ICC presiding officer P Kumari, meanwhile, defended the circular, stating that it shouldn't be controversial.
"After many cases, we realised that students don't know what's sexual harassment. So related queries can be asked in the counselling session," she said, according to ANI.
(With inputs from ANI.)
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