RailEnquiry

Women are at risk in the workplace as well. In 2010, 39-year-old railway employee Anu Bhattacharya (name changed) lodged a complaint with the women's commission against a senior for sexually harassing her. The alleged harassment had been going on for five years, but when it got physical, she approached the commission. "He made lewd comments, even forced me to watch pornography in his office, and molested me. He committed nearly every crime against a woman, but rape. It was no worse than rape," she says.The railways initially refused to register her case, she says. It was only when the commission intervened, that the officer was hauled up. But he got away with a mere demotion of two years, she says. "That will not stop him from molesting others," remarked Anu, who had a miscarriage due to mental torture. "Unfortunately, women are unsafe where they should feel the safest - at home and work."The commission fears that such crimes will double this year. "These are only the registered figures. Most of these victims are educated and come from a good background. Is it that tough for a woman to have the society's respect? You might be ready for an unknown miscreant when you step out, but what about the known devil at home," asked Mukherjee.