Eve Teasing under Civil Law

This article is second in a part of a three article series on Eve Teasing by Fazal Ahmad. The first part outlined the description and impact of eve teasing.

This civil wrong is other than a mere breach of contract or breach of trust. This wrong is redressible by an action for unliquidated damages.

Eve teasing is a civil wrong. The eve teaser causes injury to the plaintiff which in turn affects her both physically and mentally. It is an unlawful infringement on the victim’s privacy and person. She is tortured in the process. It also hampers her peace and happiness. It, in other words, curtails her right to enjoy her life and be happy.Eve teasing is neither a breach of contract nor a breach of trust. It is an encroachment on a woman’s right and her dignity.

Eve teasing is an unexpected incident. There is no question of a contract in it. Thus, its remedy is unliquidated damages which are to be decided by the courts according to the gravity of the injury caused. The courts can also provide a remedy in the form of injunction and detention also. This would force the eve teasers to at least think thrice before they indulge in such Torts and its basic guiding principle of ibi Jus Ubi Remedia i.e. where there is a violation of a legal right, there has to be some relief, compensation and remedy for the victim.

This part is very important for many reasons.

Firstly, it gives relief to the victim as she can recover the loss caused to her.

Secondly, it gives the victim immense satisfaction to see the eve teaser punished and admonished. She develops a sense of satisfaction, happiness and regains her confidence and self esteem.

Thirdly, it gives a strict warning to the eve teasers so that they do not indulge in this heinous practice. It, thus , strongly condemns the practice of eve teasing.

The Hon’ble Supreme Court In Vishakha V. State Of Rajasthan AIR 1997 SC 3011 has set out the guideline for the Woman working at the work places.

This case saw the formulation of the sexual harassment of women at workplace (prevention) bill drafted by the National Commission for Women. It provides for some stern measures to curb the menace of sexual harassment of women at work place.

The bill which defines sexual harassment which includes any act of verbal or gestural sexual advances , sexually explicit or derogatory remarks or statements, unwelcome sexually determined behaviour such as avoidable physical contact and advances, touching, patting, whistling, pinching, whistling, staring, sexually slanting and obscene jokes, suggestive remarks, compromising invitation, use of pornographic material, demand for sexual favours, threats, innuendoes, physical assault and molestation.

Staring and simple comments on the physical appearance of your female colleagues can land you behind bars for as many as five years and with a fine of Rs.20 000.

With the enactment of this act , there has been certainly a decrease in the number of sexual harassment. This act has proved itself to be a strong weapon in the hands of women to prevent sexual harassment and combat it.

In my opinion this case law helped a lot to the woman who was sexually assaulted or eve teased in offices and other places.

To find out about Eve Teasing under Criminal Law in India, read on…

~ Fazal Ahmad

Follow him on Twitter @fzlsammy

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6 thoughts on “Eve Teasing under Civil Law”

  1. This form of judgement
    may sound good but how many victimisers are ready to file complaint
    against such people….I agree that women get satisfied when such men
    are legally prosecuted but they fear in the future that some harm is
    about to catch them.Think about it and strong laws should be made
    according to the gravity of the situation and also the victimiser’s
    social status…..it really matters : http://aamjanata.com/eve-teasing-under-civil-law/
     correction: victim in the first line of below statement.
    One more thing is that recent attacks against in women are a result of frustration and revenge against women after they are subjected to detention by laws.But after this detention they are free and taking advantage of their physical and social status commit a crime superior to civil one and get prosecuted under criminal law.But divisioning this eveteasing under ciavil and criminal lawis surely not a good one to be adopted and needs to be improvised
    e7 1 comment collapsed
    Collapse Expand
    This form of judgement may sound good but how many victimisers are
    ready to file complaint against such people….I agree that women get
    satisfied when such men are legally prosecuted but they fear in the
    future that some harm is about to catch them.Think about it and strong
    laws should be made according to the gravity of the situation and also
    the victimiser’s social status…..it really matters : http://aamjanata.com/eve-teasing-under-civil-law/
    This form of judgement
    may sound good but how many victimisers are ready to file complaint
    against such people….I agree that women get satisfied when such men
    are legally prosecuted but they fear in the future that some harm is
    about to catch them.Think about it and strong laws should be made
    according to the gravity of the situation and also the victimiser’s
    social status…..it really matters : http://aamjanata.com/eve-teasing-under-civil-law/

  2. This form of judgement
    may sound good but how many victimisers are ready to file complaint
    against such people….I agree that women get satisfied when such men
    are legally prosecuted but they fear in the future that some harm is
    about to catch them.Think about it and strong laws should be made
    according to the gravity of the situation and also the victimiser’s
    social status…..it really matters : http://aamjanata.com/eve-teasing-under-civil-law/
     correction: victim in the first line of below statement.
    One more thing is that recent attacks against in women are a result of frustration and revenge against women after they are subjected to detention by laws.But after this detention they are free and taking advantage of their physical and social status commit a crime superior to civil one and get prosecuted under criminal law.But divisioning this eveteasing under ciavil and criminal lawis surely not a good one to be adopted and needs to be improvised
    e7 1 comment collapsed
    Collapse Expand
    This form of judgement may sound good but how many victimisers are
    ready to file complaint against such people….I agree that women get
    satisfied when such men are legally prosecuted but they fear in the
    future that some harm is about to catch them.Think about it and strong
    laws should be made according to the gravity of the situation and also
    the victimiser’s social status…..it really matters : http://aamjanata.com/eve-teasing-under-civil-law/
    This form of judgement
    may sound good but how many victimisers are ready to file complaint
    against such people….I agree that women get satisfied when such men
    are legally prosecuted but they fear in the future that some harm is
    about to catch them.Think about it and strong laws should be made
    according to the gravity of the situation and also the victimiser’s
    social status…..it really matters : http://aamjanata.com/eve-teasing-under-civil-law/

  3. This form of judgement may sound good but how many victimisers are ready to file complaint against such people….I agree that women get satisfied when such men are legally prosecuted but they fear in the future that some harm is about to catch them.Think about it and strong laws should be made according to the gravity of the situation and also the victimiser’s social status…..it really matters

  4. This form of judgement may sound good but how many victimisers are ready to file complaint against such people….I agree that women get satisfied when such men are legally prosecuted but they fear in the future that some harm is about to catch them.Think about it and strong laws should be made according to the gravity of the situation and also the victimiser’s social status…..it really matters

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