'Girls should know...': JNU circular on sexual harassment criticised for 'victim shaming'

A circular for a counselling session by Jawaharlal Nehru University on sexual harassment has drawn the ire of student outfits who said it reeks of victim shaming.

The circular has been panned for saying girls are "supposed to know how to draw a tangible line between them and their male friends".

The internal complaints committee of the JNU has uploaded the circular on the varsity's website saying that it will organise a counselling session on sexual harassment on January 17. It also said that such sessions will be organised on a monthly basis.

Under the subhead "why is the counselling session required", the circular said that it will make students aware about what consists of sexual harassment.

The part that has raised the stink states:

"ICC come across a number of cases where sexual harassment takes place among close friends. Boys generally cross (sometimes advertently, sometimes inadvertently) the thin line between friendship's bantering and sexual harassment. Girls are supposed to know how to draw a tangible line (between them and their male friends) to avoid any such harassment (sic)".

Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union president Aishe Ghosh has dubbed it as "victim shaming".

Calling the remark "regressive" and "moral policing", Ghosh said that such a remark, "creates a space where harassment becomes rampant and make women unsafe".

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