Law against sexual harassment at workplace: a comparative study between india and united states

Sexual harassment at the workplace is an international problem. The problem has become quite worrisome in recent years with an increasing number of women joining the workforce and needs to be tackled urgently and effectively. Although India has seen major developments with respect to tackling sexual harassment at the workplace in recent years with the both the courts and the government recognizing that sexual harassment in the workplace is a grave violation of a woman’s rights ever since the Vishaka case in 1997, the Protection of Women Against Sexual Harassment Bill could only be presented in the Parliament in 2010 which highlights the need for more concerted and prompt effort in this regard. In contrast the problem was recognized at a much earlier stage in the United States of America and a strong law has been framed there to deal with this menace. While it is true that sexual harassment laws in India have come a long way and that the Sexual Harassment at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013 is a step in the right direction, there is still room for improvement.