The strengthening of the sexual harassment law by the UAE has spelled out the much-needed emphasis on a blight that has no place in society.
Sexual harassment is not uncommon in the UAE but as legal experts have reminded us repeatedly, few victims file a complaint either with the police or with the Human Resources department due to many reasons, that includes a lack of awareness on the legal recourse available to them.
The new law affirms just how strongly it stands by the victims with its clarity of intent and all-round reach. Whether it is inappropriate words, gestures and actions in person — which can range from the low-grade, insidious signals of mal-intent to flagrant transgressions — or the use of technology to invade an individual’s privacy, any act that compromises the dignity and modesty of an individual at any time, in any context, is now covered by the new law.
It applies to individuals of the same sex as well. In short, the new law shines a harsh light into every dark corner of human misconduct.
The fact that perpetrators, in many instances, have been brought to book through strong laws has been a restorative force for the victims, steering them back to the path of trust and hope that was nearly lost forever.
Such all-encompassing rigour has been an express need, given the debilitating effect and the personal and economic costs of sexual harassment on individuals and society at large.
At the workplace, sexual harassment can lead to a staggering range of setbacks for the victim: Low productivity, loss of self-esteem, severe physical and mental health issues, including depression and trauma, and in many cases a complete withdrawal from the employment field.
Multiple studies conducted in the United States and other countries point to the severe disruption, or even a cessation, of career for women subjected to sexual harassment at their workplaces. In the personal realm, the damage is equally corrosive and long-lasting.
As hundreds of individual narratives around the world in the wake of the #MeToo movement have shown, the singular quest for the victims is to be able to find justice for themselves.
The fact that perpetrators, in many instances, have been brought to book through strong laws has been a restorative force for the victims, steering them back to the path of trust and hope that was nearly lost forever.
In providing more teeth to the law, the UAE has sent a strong, affirmative message to everyone: To those guilty, that they cannot escape punishment; and to the victims, that justice will be fully delivered.
