India’s Workplace Sexual Harassment Statistics

Ever thought about how common sexual harassment is in Indian workplaces? It’s more than you might think. Let’s look at the numbers and see how big this problem is for women in our country.

Recently, India has seen a big jump in reports of workplace sexual harassment. Companies in the BSE100 Index had 1,186 complaints in FY23, with 205 still waiting to be solved¹. This shows we’re getting better at reporting these issues.

The #MeToo movement has been key in making these problems more visible. It’s not just about the numbers. It’s about the lives changed. The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act of 2013 tries to protect women, but making it work is hard.

Big companies are where most sexual harassment happens. In FY22-23, 1,160 cases were found in 81 out of 300 companies looked at, with half from just eight companies². This makes us wonder about smaller companies.

These numbers show us how complex the issue of women’s safety at work is in India. More reports might mean more awareness, but it also shows the problem isn’t going away. Let’s explore these numbers more to understand workplace sexual harassment in India and what we can do about it.

• BSE100 Index companies reported 1,186 sexual harassment complaints in FY23.
• The #MeToo movement has increased awareness of workplace harassment in India.
• Larger companies report most sexual harassment cases, raising concerns about smaller firms.
• The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act faces implementation challenges.
• Increased reporting may indicate growing awareness but also highlights the persistent problem.

Sexual harassment is a big problem in Indian workplaces. It affects many employees in different fields. I will talk about what it means, the laws about it, and why we need to deal with it.

Workplace sexual harassment means unwanted behaviors that make the work place uncomfortable or affect how well people do their jobs. These behaviors can be physical, like touching, or they can be words or looks. A survey showed that 50% of Indian workers have faced unwanted touching or advances at work³.

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013 defines what counts as sexual harassment. This includes touching, asking for sexual favors, and making comments that are sexual in nature⁴. This law helps make work places safer and fights against gender bias at work.

It’s very important to deal with sexual harassment to make work places safe and welcoming for everyone. A study showed that 37% of people, mostly women, have been sexually harassed at work⁵. By addressing this, companies can make their employees happier, more productive, and improve the work culture.

Sexual harassment is a big issue in Indian workplaces. With 45% of people facing verbal sexual comments in person or online, we need strong policies and programs to fight this problem⁵.

Sexual harassment is a big problem in Indian workplaces. Many companies face this issue. I will look at the numbers from BSE 100 companies, see where most cases happen, and compare now to before COVID.

Looking at BSE 100 companies, we see more sexual harassment complaints. In 2022, there was a 27% jump from the year before. This shows the ongoing fight to make work safe.

The Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) and Information Technology/IT-enabled Services (IT/ITeS) sectors got 69.5% of all complaints in FY22. This shows we need to focus on these areas and make anti-harassment rules stronger.

Even with more reports now, we’re not seeing as many as before the #MeToo movement in FY20. Back then, 999 cases were reported. This shows workplace harassment is still a big problem, even if reports go up and down.

Sexual harassment isn’t just in the workplace. In Delhi, over 80% of women said they faced harassment, but only 1% told the police⁶. In Bangalore, 51% said they were harassed at work⁷.

It’s hard to know how much hostile work environments and quid pro quo harassment there is because not everyone reports it. But what we do know is scary. It shows Indian workers, especially women and certain groups, face big challenges.

From 894 in 2019 to 1,278 in 2020, more people are reporting sexual harassment. This shows more awareness and a desire to speak out. These numbers highlight the need for strong actions to stop and prevent sexual harassment in Indian workplaces.

In recent years, India has seen a big jump in workplace misconduct cases. The year ending March 2022 saw a 27% increase in complaints of office harassment⁸. This rise in cases is very worrying and needs our focus.

BSE 100 companies had 759 sexual harassment cases in FY22, up from 595 the year before⁸. The banking, financial services, and insurance sector had 44% of all cases. IT and IT-enabled services had 25.43%⁸⁹.

HDFC Bank had the most complaints, followed by ICICI Bank and Axis Bank⁹. State Bank of India, a public sector unit, had 43 cases in FY22⁹. These numbers show the issue is widespread across different sectors.

In FY23, complaints went up by 31% in 370 BSE500 businesses⁹. The IT, telecom, and manufacturing sectors saw big increases⁹. Companies like Wipro, Infosys, and Tech Mahindra had many incidents, showing we need better prevention.

Even with the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) Act since 2013, the problem is still big. The Act covers all Indian workplaces but its use is not always effective⁹. We must tackle the deep causes and improve reporting to make workplaces safer.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed how we see workplace harassment in India. With more people working from home, there were fewer reports of sexual harassment. In fact, big companies in India saw a 35% drop in such complaints from 2020 to 2021¹⁰.

Lockdowns changed how we work and interact. The Nifty-50 Index companies got 476 complaints in the last fiscal year. This is a big drop from before¹⁰. But, it might not mean there are fewer problems. It could just mean people are reporting less because they’re working from home.

Even though we’re not in the office as much, new kinds of harassment have popped up online. Some bosses asked women to keep their cameras on, made rude comments about their homes, and even told them to wear lipstick for work¹¹. They also sent sexual messages on WhatsApp and personal emails¹¹.

When offices reopened, sexual harassment cases went back up. Eight companies saw more complaints, especially from their factories¹⁰. Experts think we’ll see more complaints as more people go back to the office¹⁰.

The pandemic has changed how we deal with harassment at work in India. We need strong rules to protect everyone, both in person and online. As we move forward, we must stay alert and keep making our workplaces safe for everyone.

Sexual harassment in Indian offices is a big problem. 80% of Indian women have faced it at work, with 38% in the last year¹². This shows we need to act fast in corporate India.

Reports of workplace sexual abuse in India are rising. Every year, Indian employers get 25-30% more complaints about sexual harassment¹². This could mean more people are reporting, but it also shows the problem is ongoing.

Sexual harassment cases in Indian companies differ by sector. In FY20, Nifty-50 companies got 734 complaints, a bit less than the year before¹³. IT majors like Wipro, TCS, and Infosys had the most complaints¹³.

These cases have big economic effects. India could lose $6 to $10 billion a year because of sexual harassment¹². For companies, 27% lost money because of these incidents, with an average loss of over $40,000¹².

Looking at the data, we see a complex situation. Some companies have many complaints, while others have none. This could mean differences in how they handle reports or their work culture, not just the actual harassment rates.

I looked into sexual harassment in Indian work places. I found big differences between public and private sectors. A study in Delhi showed us how often this happens¹⁴.

PSUs often report fewer sexual harassment cases than private companies. This fits with the way India’s laws and rules work in different places.

Our study had 100 people, half from each sector. It showed why there’s a big difference in reporting¹⁴. People in private jobs report more, maybe because their companies have strong rules against harassment.

There are many reasons for these differences. Private jobs might report more because they know how to and have good ways to report. Public jobs might have more problems with reporting or worry about their careers.

The Supreme Court of India made rules to stop sexual harassment at work for everyone¹⁵. But, these rules are not the same everywhere. We need a big plan to fix this and make all work places safe for everyone.

“Sexual harassment takes away women’s basic rights, like being equal and working safely.”

We must work to make reporting the same in both public and private jobs. We want all work places in India to be safe and respectful for everyone.

I looked into sexual harassment complaints in Indian workplaces. The Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) sector and Information Technology (IT) and IT-enabled Services (ITeS) have the most complaints⁹.

In 2022, these sectors made up 69.5% of all complaints. The BFSI sector had 44% of the complaints. IT/ITeS had 25.43%⁹. This shows big concerns about women’s safety in these jobs.

Wipro had the most complaints in 2023 with 141 cases. Infosys, Tech Mahindra, and TCS also had a lot of complaints⁹. These numbers show a big problem with gender discrimination in these jobs.

The banking sector also had a lot of complaints. HDFC Bank and State Bank of India had 68 and 46 complaints in 2023⁹. These numbers show we need better ways to stop sexism and keep women safe at work.

More people reporting might not mean more harassment. It could mean better reporting and awareness. But, these numbers show we must act fast to make work safer for everyone.

India is facing big challenges in dealing with workplace sexual harassment. This issue is hard because of deep cultural beliefs and problems with putting laws into action.

Many cases of sexual harassment at work in India go unreported. In 2019, only 505 cases of “insult to modesty of women at work or office premises” were reported. But, there were over 400,000 crimes against women overall¹⁶. This shows a huge gap in reporting.

Culture stops many from speaking out against sexual harassment. Victims often feel ashamed because of how society sees their honor. A study in 2018 showed that blaming the victim and old-fashioned beliefs are common¹⁶.

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act of 2013 tries to make work safe for women¹⁷. But, it’s hard to follow. There’s confusion about what sexual harassment is, what employers must do, and how to investigate¹⁷. The Act only protects women, not other genders¹⁶.

We need more awareness, better data, and strong laws to fight these issues. With effort, we can make workplaces safer in India’s diverse industries.

Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) are key in fighting gender discrimination and hostile work environments in India. They make sure to have policies against sexual harassment. This makes the workplace safe for everyone¹⁸.

ICCs have a special setup to be fair and include different views. They have three to four members, with at least half being women. A senior female employee leads them¹⁸. This helps make sure everyone feels they can talk about safety and rights issues.

ICCs have many jobs to keep the workplace safe. They hold workshops on gender issues and teach about sexual harassment. They also decide on actions for unwanted acts¹⁸. They make sure complaints are made within three months, which helps solve problems fast¹⁹.

The Ministry of Women & Child Development started the She-Box online system in 2017. It helps register and track sexual harassment complaints. This connects people who complain with the right ICC¹⁹. This helps deal with gender discrimination and makes work safer.

ICCs do a lot to make work safe and respectful. They help fight for gender equality and deal with sexual harassment quickly and well.

Sexual misconduct in Indian workplaces has a huge economic cost. A 2020 study found that a single company loses over $250,000 each year. This money goes to things like sick days, losing employees, and legal fees¹².

This problem affects the whole country. India might lose $6 to $10 billion a year. This is from people not working as much, being less productive, and the economy growing slower¹².

The financial impact of workplace harassment is clear. In India, sexual harassment cases go up by 25-30% every year¹². Sadly, 27% of companies suffer big financial losses from these cases, losing over $40,000 on average¹².

Harassment in Indian workplaces hurts productivity a lot. A study found that 35% of women worked less after facing harassment¹². These women also took more sick days than those who weren’t harassed¹².

Harassment of women at work in India hurts companies and the country’s image. 80% of women have faced harassment, and 38% in the last year alone¹². This leads to a lot of turnover, with 47% of women leaving their jobs because of harassment¹².

These numbers show we need strong laws and action against workplace harassment. Not doing anything has too big of an economic cost.

There’s been a big push to fight workplace sexual misconduct in India. Companies are working hard to make work safer. Sexual assault in Indian workplaces is often in the news, showing how serious this issue is²⁰.

The #MeToo movement has made people pay more attention to gender bias at work. Now, companies are taking big steps to fix this²⁰.

A big move is starting awareness campaigns. These aim to teach workers about sexual harassment, even the subtle kinds they might miss²⁰. Training programs are also being set up to focus on preventing harassment, not just punishing it.

It’s important to have better ways to report incidents. Many companies have made special channels for reporting that are private. This lets more people speak up without fear.

Some forward-thinking companies are using “social influencers” to spread the word about a harassment-free workplace²⁰. This way of doing things can work better than just telling people what to do.

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act of 2013 gives legal support to these efforts. It requires all organizations to have Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs)²¹. These ICCs are key in handling complaints quickly and fairly.

With these steps, Indian workplaces are moving towards being safer and more welcoming for everyone.

India is facing a big challenge with workplace sexual harassment. We need to tackle this with a plan that includes new policies, company actions, and spreading the word.

It’s important to make laws stronger to fight sexual harassment at work. The government should make sure there are harsher punishments for breaking the PoSH Act. This could mean fines or losing a business license. This has helped make workplaces safer for everyone²².

Companies have a big role in making work safe. Using Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) has been helpful, with a 40% drop in sexual harassment complaints in places with ICCs²². It’s also key to have regular training on stopping harassment and supporting gender equality.

Spreading the word is crucial to fight gender discrimination at work. Companies that hold regular awareness programs on the PoSH Act see better employee retention²². These efforts build a workplace where everyone respects each other.

We need detailed data on sexual harassment in Indian companies to move forward. This info will show us where the big issues are and how to fix them. With these steps, we can aim for workplaces that are safe and welcoming for everyone in India.

In my study, I found shocking facts about sexual exploitation at work in India. Most women workers, 95%, are in the informal sector, making them easy targets for harassment²³. This risk gets worse since 31% of companies in 2015 didn’t follow the Sexual Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act²³.

Handling sexual misconduct at work is a big challenge. Many areas didn’t answer questions about their sexual harassment committees. Only 29% even had these committees²³. This is worrying, given the big jump in cases. In 2019, there were 505 cases of sexual harassment at work, a huge increase from 2014²³.

Looking at big companies in India, we see that power plays a big part in sexual harassment. Men in charge often do the harassing²⁴. This, along with the fact that 32 women might not join the workforce for every crime, shows the big economic hit of this issue²⁴.

To fight this, Indian companies need to focus on stopping harassment and making reporting easy. The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act in 2013 was a big step. But, we must now work on making it work better and spreading the word. Just like leadership affects a nation, company leaders must stand up against sexual harassment. This will make workplaces safer for everyone.

1. India Inc Sees Alarmingly High Unresolved Sexual Harassment Cases At Workplace – Forbes India – https://www.forbesindia.com/article/take-one-big-story-of-the-day/india-inc-sees-alarmingly-high-unresolved-sexual-harassment-cases-at-workplace/89043/1
2. POSH case reporting confined to a fraction of India Inc cos: Study – https://m.economictimes.com/jobs/hr-policies-trends/posh-case-reporting-confined-to-a-fraction-of-india-inc-cos-study/articleshow/110186393.cms
3. More Than 50% Young Professionals in India Face Sexual Harassment at Workplace – Collective for Equality – https://collectiveforequality.com/more-than-50-young-professionals-in-india-face-sexual-harassment-at-workplace/
4. Sexual Harassment At Work Place – UPSC Notes (GS II) On sexual harassment, related laws – https://byjus.com/free-ias-prep/sexual-harassment-at-workplace-upsc-notes/
5. Only 8% employees aware of the PoSH Act, reveals survey – ETHRWorld – https://hr.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/workplace-4-0/only-8-employees-aware-of-the-posh-act-reveals-survey/98193795
6. More than 80% of women commuters faced sexual harassment but only 1% reported it, here’s why – https://www.indiatoday.in/diu/story/women-commuters-faced-sexual-harassment-but-only-reported-it-2288137-2022-10-21
7. Increasing sexual harassment cases in India : an intimidating reality – iPleaders – https://blog.ipleaders.in/increasing-sexual-harassment-cases-in-india-an-intimidating-reality/
8. Rise In Sexual Harassment Cases In India’s Top Companies Shows Dichotomy – Forbes India – https://www.forbesindia.com/article/take-one-big-story-of-the-day/rise-in-sexual-harassment-cases-in-indias-top-companies-shows-dichotomy/80721/1
9. Surge in Sexual Harassment Cases at Workplace in Indian top companies: Report – PEOPLE MANAGER – https://peoplemanager.co.in/surge-in-sexual-harassment-cases-at-workplace-in-indian-top-companies-report/
10. With remote working, cases of sexual harassment decrease and shift online – https://m.economictimes.com/news/company/corporate-trends/with-remote-working-cases-of-sexual-harassment-decrease-and-shift-online/articleshow/86242852.cms
11. Workplace Sexual Harassment: New Variants through the Pandemic – https://iprr.impriindia.com/v1-i2-workplace-sexual-harassment-2/
12. The Economic Costs of Workplace Sexual Harassment in India: Impacts and Solutions – https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/economic-costs-workplace-sexual-harassment-india-impacts-6kxwc
13. ETIG Analysis: 734 Sexual harassment Complaints received by Nifty companies in FY20 – https://m.economictimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/etig-analysis-734-sexual-harassment-complaints-received-by-nifty-companies-in-fy20/articleshow/81104593.cms
14. PDF – https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/212003573.pdf
15. COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT WITH MAJOR COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD: A PROTECTIVE APPROACH – https://ijirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/COMPARATIVE-STUDY-OF-SEXUAL-HARASSMENT-WITH-MAJOR-COUNTRIES-OF-THE-WORLD-A-PROTECTIVE-APPROACH.pdf
16. Women in Indian Workplaces: Challenges in addressing workplace sexual harassment – https://static1.squarespace.com/static/552fe729e4b0c33e91169c8e/t/61151848c8eb5735b594da71/1628772467060/Global-Policy-Review–Policy-Briefs–Workplace-Sexual-Harassment-in-India
17. PDF – https://www.nishithdesai.com/fileadmin/user_upload/pdfs/Research Papers/Prevention_of_Sexual_Harassment_at_Workplace.pdf
18. Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) – Indian Institute of Management Bodh Gaya – https://iimbg.ac.in/internal-complaints-committee-icc/
19. Home | Press Council of India – https://www.presscouncil.nic.in/ICC.aspx
20. 7 Strategies Addressing How to Prevent Sexual Harassment in the Workplace | EVERFI – https://everfi.com/blog/workplace-training/strategies-to-prevent-sexual-harassment-at-work/
21. PDF – https://www.ilo.org/sites/default/files/wcmsp5/groups/public/@asia/@ro-bangkok/@sro-new_delhi/documents/publication/wcms_630227.pdf
22. RISING CASES UNDER POSH ACT POINT TO BETTER REPORTING – https://universalinstitutions.com/rising-cases-under-posh-act-point-to-better-reporting/
23. Eight years on, India’s law to prevent workplace sexual harassment is marred by poor data collection – https://scroll.in/article/987583/eight-years-on-indias-law-to-prevent-workplace-sexual-harassment-is-marred-by-poor-data-collection
24. Workplace sexual harassment law in India: Building a case for a law focused on women workers – The Leaflet – https://theleaflet.in/workplace-sexual-harassment-law-in-india-building-a-case-for-a-law-focused-on-women-workers/