Sexual Harassment against Women in the Workplace: A Critical Study on the Regulatory Framework in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Sexual harassment against female employees in the workplace is one of the topics that have gained the serious attention of various segments of the Sri Lankan society. More than 50% of the female population in Sri Lanka is employed today. Many of them have experienced sexual harassment at least once in their workplace. Since sexual harassment is recognized as a criminal offence in Sri Lanka, this paper intends to investigate whether the prevailing penal laws of the country are sufficient to prevent and deal with these cases and punish the perpetrators. Furthermore, this paper investigates the other possible legal response in the civil law regime to provide a safer legal environment for the victims of sexual harassment. This paper also discusses the relevant international standards in improving the existing laws in the country. This study engages in the field research including interviewing relevant stakeholders (200 women employees including skilled, unskilled and managerial level from government and private sector institutions situated in the Western Province, Officer In Charge of Police of 6 Police Divisions in Colombo District as the highest industrialized District in the Western Province and 3 Commissioners of Labour Department of Sri Lanka) in addition to the desk review of the literature.

Citation

Niriella, M.A.D.S.J.S. (2015), "Sexual Harassment against Women in the Workplace: A Critical Study on the Regulatory Framework in Sri Lanka", Enabling Gender Equality: Future Generations of the Global World (Research in Political Sociology, Vol. 23), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 41-55. https://doi.org/10.1108/S0895-993520150000023003