In the process of conducting these discussions, a few gender champions were identified. Gender champions are the local leaders who support and sustain our work at the ground level. The champions are trained to work as community mobilisers and as a support system for other domestic workers in their neighbourhood, to build solidarity and togetherness.
Some of our gender champions were also trained as action researchers in their own community. In the process they were exposed to new knowledge and methods of understanding sexual harassment at workplace and building consensus on how to deal with the issue.
Supported by the champions, domestic workers in the three project sites conducted participatory safety assessments, collected stories and data on incidents of sexual harassment. The women conducted the participatory safety assessment of their settlement and journey to work. They gathered data and shared that knowledge with other workers and stakeholders to initiate dialogue on the issues or to try and work on the problem collectively.
Trained in mobile based survey techniques, the champions conducted a participatory survey to find out the prevalence of sexual harassment among domestic workers in their neighbourhoods and their awareness of redressal mechanism should they decide to file a complaint. 6 gender champions conducted 291 interviews. The data they collected was analysed and the results shared with them. The survey unearths the reality of sexual harassment faced by domestic workers and the ineffectiveness of the redressal mechanisms as per the SHW Act. The research found that over 29% women domestic workers have been sexually harassed at work. Of those who did experience sexual harassment, 20% complained to the police, but received no outcome. 19% ignored the incident completely, while 15% spoke with only their friends about it. Only 1 person reported the incident to their employer. The study also uncovers that redressal mechanisms are missing in a majority of the districts in Delhi. Of the 11 districts in Delhi, 9 districts do not have Local Committees; only 2 have formed Local Committees.