‘She Was Very Outgoing’: Sexual Harassment and Appropriate Female Behaviour

The Indian information technology industry is popularly believed to be a very hospitable employer for women. It is known for fairly progressive policies towards women employees and its strong stand against sex discrimination and harassment. However, in spite of written policies and procedures, cases of sexual harassment do occur and require investigation. This article uses qualitative research to explore women’s experiences of sexual harassment in the Indian information technology industry, juxtaposing these with managerial responses to harassment complaints. Using qualitative research it investigates how cultural norms of regarding women’s behaviour can influence management’s attitudes to sexual harassment complaints. The article concludes that while written policies may constitute a vital step towards creating a conducive work environment for women, they may not always be enough in mitigating the influence of an andro-centric culture in management’s or recipient’s response to sexual harassment.