Ministry To Tackle Harassing Males

[george]

Ministry to tackle harassing males

BANGKOK: -- The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security has established an agency to counter sexual harassment in the workplace and provide assistance to women who receive inappropriate advances from their fellow workers.

The Workplace Sexual Harassment Prevention Centre is made up of a working group consisting of female academics, media producers, women’s-rights activists and officials from related state agencies.

Supensri Pungkoksung, a member of the working group and a representative of the Friends of Women Foundation, said the centre would receive complaints from the victims of sexual assault and coordinate with the proper agencies to help them fight for their rights.

“Many women are afraid to tell their stories because they have to face their attackers in the workplace every day.”

The centre was established in the wake of a high-profile case in which a female employee of a large state enterprise claims to have been raped by a high-ranking officer in the office toilets.

The case has been progressing slowly.

The centre will set up a hotline number where women can seek counselling, Supensri said.

The working group had its first meeting on Tuesday to discuss various problems, such as the attitude of society towards sexual harassment and inadequate laws.

Supensri said men had to be educated about what behaviour constituted sexual assault.

“Some men like to use dirty words when conversing with female fellow workers without realising that that also counts as harassment,” she said.

“Some men touch women without realising that that is wrong and makes women uncomfortable.”

The working group discussed the possibility of holding workshops with men to teach them how to act around their female fellow workers, she said.

Legal punishment is not enough for men who sexually assault fellow workers, she said: they have to be “cured” of such behaviour.

The law relating to sexual harassment also needs to be improved, the working group said.

The State Enterprises Act does not define sexual assault as behaviour that contravenes the regulations, she noted, so that convicted offenders may escape unpunished by their agencies, and there is no proper definition of “assault” in labour law, leaving it up to the authorities to decide whether sexual harassment is illegal.

--The Nation 2005-04-24

[astral]

What about women harrassing men?

[chuchok]

What about women harrassing men?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We live in such a sexist world. It's just not fair!...I never get harrassed.

Edited April 24, 2005 by chuchok

[stumonster]

I hope they don't wish to solve this problem in 90 days.

This issue is one that takes at least a generation to resolve , and I think comes back to a central issue facing the thai authorities - Education

[eljeque]

This is a cultural problem. In the West, girls simply tell their brothers to kick the shit out of the guy. It cures a lot of guys.

My mother is still nice-looking and had to put up with a lot of men harrassing her in the 60s and 70s. She had to keep the job as ashe had two children to support. Thai women should not have to put up with it now.

Stickman's wife was having a problem with a Western male employee at work a few months ago as well.

[bambob]

what about katoeys grabbing ones nuts in sukhumvit road,without asking prior permission ?

Mr Thaksin please clampdown on these he-shes

[RDN]

what about katoeys grabbing ones nuts in sukhumvit road,without asking prior permission  ?

Mr Thaksin please clampdown on these he-shes

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They're just testing you - it's your wallet they're really after.

[thaibebop]

I believe his name was Leon Redbone, but he sang a song I always liked, I want to be seduced. I wish I had to deal with that kind of harrassment. Might keep me at the gym more.