Hyderabad campuses see jump in harassment cases

HYDERABAD: A 50 per cent increase in sexual harassment cases has been noted across campuses in India, according to a recently-released UGC report.

The state itself has seen an increasing number of complaints from varsities, some of which have resulted in police complaints. The usage of social media by students, to reveal their issues, has been hailed as many perpetrators have been identified and brought to light with the help of public posts. 

Most complaints registered at gender sensitisation committees include groping at public places, sending of obscene or lewd messages, among others. 

A girl student of the University of Hyderabad had put a public post stating that while she was watching a street play performed on the campus by students at a crowded junction, she felt a hand touching her inappropriately. 

The post further read, “I moved far away from him and made sure that there was a lot of space between us but he came back again.”

The student also uploaded a photo of the man who was reportedly not a student from the university. 

Adeep H., a professor at the UoH, said that in many cases the accused are not students. 

“They are outsiders and it is really sad to note the same. Similarly, last year, we also saw a trend of professors being held for their inappropriate behaviour. Talks need to be held at campuses about gender sensitisation,” he said.

“We will be working keeping the UGC guidelines in mind to decrease the number of sexual harassment cases on campuses. We urge all students to approach the authorities concerned in case of any inappropriate behaviour from anyone,” Professor V. Venkata Ramana,  Vice-Chairman of Telangana State Council of Higher Education, said.

Many students, especially PhD students, claim that they do not come forward in fear of their course period getting extended or being ridiculed by others.