One out of seven women in Bengaluru’s garment industry faces sexual violence at the workplace, says a study by Munnade, an NGO working with the Garment Workers Union along with Sisters for Change, United Kingdom. Union representatives claim that lack of awareness and stigma are the main reasons why many workers do not come forward to report the violence.
According to the study conducted in 2015, more than 60% of women have been intimidated or threatened with violence while about 40-50% has experienced verbal abuse. And one out of seven women have either been forced to commit a sexual act or has been forced to have sexual intercourse.
“There are over eight lakh garment workers in Karnataka and over six lakh in the city. Bengaluru has over 1,200 garment factories situated mainly in the Peenya industrial area,” said K. Saroja, general secretary, Garment Labour Union.
Garment workers’ union representatives feel that though it is mandatory to set up an Internal Complaints Committee in every factory to report violence against women, many haven’t complied. “Most often, the gender based violence, including sexual harassment, is connected with production. When they don’t complete their work on time, their superiors harass them. But many of them think it is part of their job. Others don’t come forward to complain fearing stigma,” said R. Prathiba, president, Garment and Textile Workers’ Union.
To create awareness about the study and to observe International Women’s Day, garment workers staged a protest on March 7 in Peenya Industrial Area.
“On Thursday, we organised a cultural programme to create awareness about the study,” said Ms. Saroja.
Rukmini, president of the Garment Labour Union, said that the government has to take more accountability to ensure that the laws against sexual harassment at the workplace are properly enforced. “Companies need to have much more transparency in the way they form an Internal Complaints Committee. More awareness has to be created among workers about the committees,” she said.
