Inquiry launched over alleged sexual harassment of State TV presenter

24 April 2023 11:17 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 16

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Chairman of the Independent Television Network Sudarshana Gunawardana today said he had instructed the General Manager of ITN to immediately start an inquiry on the alleged sexual harassment case of a former employee at the News and Current Affairs Division at ITN.

Ishara Devendra, a former journalist attached to the ITN recently alleged that she faced sexual harassment from a senior official at the ITN on a regular basis.

She alleged that even though she had informed the authorities about the sexual harassment complaints with evidence and audio video recording, no one had taken action.

She said that she decided to leave the service to protect her self-respect.

She had further said that there is an environment in the ITN where women constantly face such harassment.

Responding to the allegations, ITN Chairman said that management of the ITN is in the process of selecting an external inquiring officer.

"I am on leave since Saturday and in Chiang Mai, Thailand attending to a conference organized by UNDP," he said.

Meanwhile, issuing a statement, the Federation of Media Employees Trade Unions also commended the victim's bravery and the steps she took to expose the “barbaric act” without fear.(Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya)

Comments - 16

Sri Tuesday, 25 April 2023 01:44 AM

Take some precautions now ladies are coming up with stories to make money ...In western countries some people do this to make money and many of the are caught.....I don't think this is such a case but we have to be careful about it .Now people are copying one another from all different cultures.

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Sivalingam Tuesday, 25 April 2023 04:53 AM

Privatize these loss making crappy organizations.

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Jude Tuesday, 25 April 2023 05:54 AM

මම කලිනුත් කිව්වා, දැන් හරියට අසහනකාරයෝ ඉන්නවා, දඬුවම් කරන්න ඕනේ තරාතිරම නොබලා!! ඔව්!!

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Jude Tuesday, 25 April 2023 05:58 AM

Lankan justice system very weak!! Workplace sexual harrassment a serious offense!! Culprits should get longer jail sentence!! Punishment should be done promptly!!

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Spartacus Tuesday, 25 April 2023 07:28 AM

You will conduct inquiry only at your own time or at you own convenience and agenda but never at the time of incident. That is the culture of our justice.

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Chichi the space monkey Tuesday, 25 April 2023 08:42 AM

Was a rajapaksa in the vicinity?

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Jayantha Tuesday, 25 April 2023 09:11 AM

Internal inquiry will not do any good for the lady they will try to protect the top managers as no action was taken previously. Women and child bureau should investigate this serious matter. Also appoint a women as new chairman probably with a law background.

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Nilmini Welivita Tuesday, 25 April 2023 09:25 AM

This is normal and junior employees should accept it and move on.

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Reformist Tuesday, 25 April 2023 09:54 AM

This is not the only place where SL women face sexual harassment. It is in every SL workplace and women find very hard to work in work places. SL men always behave as if they have never touched a women and they want women to agree to fulfill their needs. It is pathetic and this is happening right from politicians to all other work places. Specially, if a girl is reasonably good looking, she finds very hard to work in any place without harassment.

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Denver Tuesday, 25 April 2023 11:10 AM

Nilmini I totally disagree with you. This type of behavior left unchecked normalises it. I cannot be condoned under any circumstances. One is there to do a job and not to gratify sexual desires of frustrated and creepy office workers (bosses included) and their clients. Your comment sounds more of a chauvinistic male rather than the purported female as insinuated.

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Kirsten Andersen, Denmark Tuesday, 25 April 2023 11:12 AM

Reformist: so imagine if you are a young blond tourist visiting Sri Lanka.

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Reformist Wednesday, 26 April 2023 04:54 AM

Yes, agree. SL men are suffering from lack of women's attention and resort to harassing them. I know tourists are not spared. Western girls are more friendly by nature and these guys think they are In for something else. Poor state of affairs.

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Adwani Tuesday, 25 April 2023 11:26 AM

Name and shame the bastard, even if he is a GM.

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Wathsi Tuesday, 25 April 2023 12:21 PM

Such incidents are a common phoenonmenan in private stations too and those victims also should jjoin with Ishara to make a bigger voice against this trend.

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Gardener Tuesday, 25 April 2023 07:06 PM

Looks like Nilmini has moved on to bigger things,what a tongue in cheek statement.

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Blondes are not attractive to us healthy males here Tuesday, 25 April 2023 11:01 PM

@Andersen, Denmark While some blonde europeans fawn endlessly about Blondes, and those others born with different hair colour. Maybe they are attractive to people in colder weather, but here Blondes are not attractive, except for the weirded out men.

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