https://thewire.in/rights/wrestling-patriarchy-indian-sportswomen-rights
Phogat alleged that the “coaches are harassing women, and some coaches, who are favourites of the Federation, misbehave with women coaches as well. They sexually harass girls. The WFI president has sexually harassed many girls.”
It took a sustained sit-in protest and the Supreme Court’s intervention for the Delhi police to register FIRs against Singh, but unfortunately, the serious and disturbing claims by the protesting wrestlers have been met with a general reticence and a dismissive attitude. For instance, P.T. Usha referred to the protests by wrestlers as “indiscipline” and “tarnishing the image of India”.
The rather alarmist collective conscience of the country that erupts into dramatic boycotts over issues like an unappealing movie, has shown a deafening silence at best and a general disdain at worst for the protesting women wrestlers.
Workplace redressal of complaints is important so that attitudes and perceptions change from the existing culture of silencing and undermining complaints to actively encouraging women to complain against sexual harassment.
Often, to be able to reach a point of complaining against their harasser, women must fight hard against the odds of shaming, blaming, personal attacks, intimidation, threats and workplace pressure. To be able to complain is a herculean task, in a society where there is a culture of backlash against women victims.
In such a state of affairs, where legal mechanisms of redressal for women’s complainants are absent and there is lack of awareness regarding workplace conduct, the protesting wrestlers should be lauded and thanked for pointing out these glaring inadequacies.
19/05/2023