169 complaints of sexual harassment at workplace in private industries: WCD Ministry

New Delhi: A total of 169 complaints of sexual harassment at the workplace have been received in private industries since 2017, the Women and Child Development Ministry has said.

The complaints were received through 'SHe-box', an online system for filing complaints by women, working in both government and private sectors, related to sexual harassment at the workplace.

A senior ministry official said 169 complaints have been received through 'SHe-box' since 2017. The highest number of complaints have been received from Maharashtra (33), followed by Delhi 23.

Central ministries have received as many as 141 sexual harassment complaints since last year, out of which 45 have been disposed of, the WCD Ministry said.

The highest number of complaints were received by the Finance Ministry (21), followed by the Ministry of Communications and the Ministry of Defence at 16, the ministry said.

Against the backdrop of the "MeToo" campaign, the WCD Ministry had last month linked the online portal to report complaints of sexual harassment at workplace, to all the central ministries, departments and 653 districts across 33 states and Union territories.

For prompt disposal of complaints on "SHe-Box", each case goes directly to the central or state authority concerned having jurisdiction to take action in the matter.

Cases on 'SHe-box' can be monitored by the complainant and the WCD Ministry, reducing the time taken in case disposal.