#MeTooIndia

It has been an exhausting week with India’s #MeToo movement picking up pace and taking the limelight.

There are companies running around and trying to address their employees on what their stance is on sexual harassment etc.

But there’s something majorly missing in the debate. A balance.

Amidst these #MeTooIndia tweets a couple of anonymous accounts have come across to be false allegations. Many of the people these allegations are against have said they’re open to investigation and yet no formal complaint has been made against them. Yet. One should then ask the question that isn’t it the onus now on the complainant to come out in the open and complain? Their privacy and identity need not be revealed if they don’t want. But formal complaints are required and hearings begin with both the parties being heard.

One cannot hide behind screenshots when the person they’re complaining against are open to investigation. The conversation needs to definitely go beyond anonymous screenshots. Lives are at stake here and people are losing jobs over these anonymous accounts. You cannot do such injustice without having both parties heard. Losing a job in this economy is terrible and much worse if the person is innocent.

Secondly what next? If there has been a person who has harassed someone over messages or even other wise. How long is the punishment for these perpetrators? Will they have to be shunned by society forever? How are they to survive and redeem themselves? Are there systems in place deciding when can they rejoin workforce and redeem themselves? As human beings, our society is built upon second chances.

And lastly, are people getting fired because of personal behaviours in personal relationships outside of work? Are there consequences faced, especially by men, when their former spouses or partners are coming out on social media with details of the harassment in their former relationship? If so, why should the company have any jurisdiction over this? Unless the court itself does not convict them as a criminal, a company or any organisation has no right to fire someone because they’re a bad spouse/partner/boyfriend/girlfriend. That being said, definitely do fire convicted rapists, murderers and alike criminals.

But the law nowhere states in this world that if you’re a bad spouse/partner/boyfriend/girlfriend that you should be fired. Unless you have abused someone at your workspace or even outside in the name of your designation, but otherwise a company has no right to take any actions against you. This is definitely solely my opinion.

As far as the #MeTooIndia debate seems to be going, such thoughts will be dismissed and even “called out” as “anti-women” I’m anything but that. I’m here to bring a balance.