Safety and Security still distant for working women

In a globalised world where consideration of fixed working slot and hours has been out of sight, employees security has become a serious concern for some professionals especially women.

After a few incidents that occurred recently, security of women has become matter of utmost significance to sectors like ITs and BPOs, where maximum employees are women and work at odd hours during the evening and night shifts.

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The brutal rape and murder of a female BPO employee in Bangalore, who was employed at the Hewlett Packard (HP) Globalsoft, was a clear illustration of lack of security for employees especially women, while commuting to and fro work at odd hours. Her murder led to a debate on the safety of BPO employees working in late night shifts.

The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed the prosecution of former HP Globalsoft managing director, Som Mittal, presently working as the chief of the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) in rape and murder case of his employee, Pratibha Srikanth Murthy in 2005.

She was raped and later murdered by a company cab driver, Shiv Kumar on the night of December 13, 2005. Som Mittal was then the M.D. of the company.

Mittal was charged of the violation of 2002 Karnataka government order, proscribing employment of women in night shifts.

The state's Shops and Establishment Act, amended in 2002 following the IT Act came into existence the same year, permitted IT, ITES and BPO firms to employ women on night with a clear provision that makes companies responsible for the safety and security of their women employees, especially regarding their transportation.

It was the apparent violation of the clause, which did cost a woman her life. The law does not leave space for any confusion or suspicion as regards to the nature of security. This was the complete breach of security and the excuse of Mittal that “the element of risk is always there” does not justify their logic.

If, according to Mittal, risk always remains there in the night, it becomes the responsibility of the company to ensure all essential steps are taken to minimise the risk. After all it is mandatory on the part of establishments having no system of "night drops" to provide safe quarters for women employees.

Legal experts say that legal action can be kicked off against companies that do not provide proper security to its employees.

Law articulates that the company is responsible for the safety and security of its employee once the person leaves for office in a company provided vehicle till he/she returns home. If an employee was murdered in a company provided vehicle, it becomes the responsibility of the company.

SMS Service support

The BPO boom has also brought with it a set of disadvantages such as odd working hours. Employees, both male and female, are ferried to and from the office often in the wee hours without proper security arrangements.

Considering the grave concern of augmenting rape cases, in 2006, SMS HELPLINE (6070 Help) was being offered for the security of women employees.

In case of emergency, using this helpline, any employee can send the SMS to the number 6070 (SMS help GNG) which would then be automatically forwarded to the police department of Gurgaon.

The service initially started in Gurgaon was to make available nationwide by all operators and the user will have to just type the three letter abbreviation of the city.