#MeToo hits Pune’s Symbiosis International University campus

Pune :  After swamping the country’s entertainment and media sectors, the #MeToo forayed into the academic world – at the reputed Symbiosis Centre for Media & Communications (SCMC).

Several students and alumni took to the social media sharing stories of alleged sexual harassment at the hands of male students and even staffers on the varsity campus.

At least a dozen students have posted their experiences. The SCMC acted quickly by appealing to them to come forward and assured them full support from the management.

The Symbiosis International University Pro Vice Chancellor Vidya Yeravdekar said the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) had been directed to hear out all grievances and complaints.

Besides, she said the university had set up a Committee Against Sexual Harassment (CASH) cell to tackle the students’ ordeal.

As for the past students, it said: “Dear Alumni, we are indeed sorry, if you had to face something like this. But we promise you that if you reach out to the ICC, we will take steps and actions if need be. If you’re comfortable in sharing your stories with us, to make sure people are aware of a potential pitfall, please reach out to us.”

While some women have shared their encounters with boys who crossed boundaries of physical intimacy, others spoke of how a professor allegedly sexually assaulted them during dark-room practicals. Another claimed that complaints filed with college authorities were ignored.

Published on: Oct 10, 2018 at 21:10 IST

IANS