HOW TO DRAFT A COMPLAINT

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In order to file a complaint, you need to submit an email/letter to any member of the Internal Committee detailing the incident in writing and your intent to initiate proceedings.

 

If you are uncomfortable or are facing any other difficulties in filing the complaint: your friend, relative, colleagues, psychologist, or any other person may file the complaint on your behalf.

 

You must submit the written complaint within three months from the date of the incident. If there has been more than one incident, then the complaint must be made within 3 months of the last incident, i.e, if you faced sexual harassment at the university cultural festival from X and a few months after that, X made sexually derogative remarks, the complaint must be filed within 3 months of the date of the derogative remark from X.

 

However, after the expiry of 3 months, the IC may extend the time limit by another 3 months, if they are satisfied that your circumstances prevented you from filing the complaint, i.e, if you were facing mental health issues, a letter from the psychologist detailing why you were not in a state to file the complaint may suffice.

 

To have an extra layer of caution, email two members of the IC or submit a letter along with an email (keep a copy of the letter submitted). The written complaint should contain details of the incident of sexual harassment that took place in the chronology that they happened in. Do include all details that you think are important. Most importantly, be consistent in your statement. The series of events mentioned in your complaint should be written such that you can relay the same details when you speak before the committee. While ancillary details may accidentally be left out, try your best to mention everything in a sequence wise manner as your IC may consider consistency important. It can include:

 

• Dates and times (as much as you remember, there is no problem if you do not mention the exact time of the incident)

• The place

• Who said/did it (The name, relation,  year of study/position of the person or persons committing harassment)

• Any witnesses who were there

• How the incident has impacted you

• Mention any evidence that you may have

• The names of other persons who might have been subject to the same or similar harassment only with the permission of the person you are mentioning (optional)

• Any other information you believe to be relevant

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Refer to our sample complaints above to understand how you can put across your complaint in a structured manner.

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If you are facing difficulty in making the complaint in writing, the IC must provide all reasonable assistance to make the complaint in writing.

 

If your University has a Support Committee or an IC facilitator, essentially a person or persons that have been appointed to assist you in filing a complaint, you may avail their assistance to file the complaint as well. They are also bound by confidentiality akin to IC members.

 

Lastly, the IC is responsible for taking measures to provide a conducive environment of safety and protection to you and ensuring that you face no adverse consequences upon filing the complaint.