To put it simply, the answer is no. Men can’t report sexual harassment on SHE-box.

To understand why this is the case, it is essential to first understand what SHE-box really is. SHE-box stands for Sexual Harassment Electronic Box. It is an online platform where a woman can register complaints of sexual harassment at the workplace. It was launched by the Government, Ministry of Women and Child Development.

This means that the SHE-box is exclusively built for women and can’t be accessed by men to file a complaint.

Key Objectives of SHE-Box

• Easy access to women who want to file complaints
• It ensures that the complaints are forwarded to the appropriate Internal Committee (IC) or Local Committee (LC)
• It strengthens implementation of POSH across organizations
• It offers a confidential and safe reporting platform

Why Men Cannot Report Sexual Harassment on SHE-Box?

Men can’t use SHE-box to report complaints in cases where they are the victims due to legal limitations.

It is necessary to understand that SHE-Box operates according to the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, generally it is also recognized as the POSH Act, 2013

Legal limitations:

• POSH Act recognizes only women as the aggrieved person
• SHE-Box is basically an online extension of the law
• Which means, only women can file complaints via this platform

Do Men Need Protection in the Workplace?

Absolutely

Just because men can’t use, She-box as a platform for reporting sexual harassment does not mean that

• Men can’t be sexually harassed
• There are not any other alternatives
• Organizations can ignore complaints raised by men

This means that they would have to use other alternatives.

Legal Alternatives for Men in India

The alternatives available to male victims of harassment at workplace are as follows:

• Gender neutral company policies can protect men as well
• Industrial Disputes Act Mechanisms
• Indian Penal Code (IPC) provisions (in certain cases)
• University or institutional disciplinary committees

It could vary according to the institutional settings and the options available to the person.

How can Men Still Play a Role Under POSH

Although men may not be able to seek help for themselves through, SHE-Box, it does not mean that they can’t play a role in reporting a complaint.

• He can help a woman draft her complaint
• Provide support
• Act as a witness

Why is SHE-Box Exclusively for Women?

One of the main reasons SHE-Box is exclusively for women is the number of cases that go unreported. According to the statistics, in most cases, the perpetrator is a superior, which creates power imbalance and makes women feel hesitant to report the incident. SHE-Box provides them with a safe and confidential platform.

How to register?

If the person registering the complaint is the aggrieved woman herself, she has to log in with her details, such as her name, work status, mobile number, and email.

If the woman herself can’t register a complaint for any reason, someone else can register a complaint on her behalf with her written consent. This person can be a colleague, friend, or someone who may have witnessed the incident.

If the filing is being done by another individual, they must log in with their own details on the portal. They will also need to attach a written consent from the aggrieved woman to the application. The IC/LC should be selected according to the working status of the woman. If the IC/LC is registered on the portal, the complaint will be automatically submitted and forwarded to the concerned IC/LC. If an organization’s IC is not registered on the portal, there is an alternative that the portal provides. There is an online process through which one can get the details of the organization and then inform the State Nodal Officer and District Nodal Officer of the State/UT and district to ensure early registration of the IC.

The steps are summarized as follows:

• Login
• Register
• Select IC/LC
• Submit

Conclusion

Men may not be able to use SHE-Box but they can still play an important role. This is why they should also be educated about this platform so that they can help women who might not be aware of it.