The Global Association for Contact Center Best Practices & Networking

Delhi, August 25, 2010 -- BPO workers have expressed their outrage at being stereotyped as 'loose' or 'available' in the wake of an MMS clip surfacing on the Internet.

A sex clip was recently uploaded on a website with the words 'Gurgaon call centre sex scandal' that showed a supervisor having sex with his subordinate.

In the video, the girl wearing shorts and T-shirt enters a room with things scattered all around. The guy recording her each move is right behind her.

The girl is asked to lie down and then blind folded. Later she is asked to strip slowly and the act is shot on camera.

Sohrab Khan, who works with a BPO in Gurgaon, said, "It is common belief that call center employees, mostly in early twenties, get intimate while working late night shifts. But this is not true. Now most of the companies have started monitoring their employee activities at night. Companies also take disciplinary actions. Mostly, they fire those employees who engage in such activities at work."

"Just because I work for a call centre doesn't mean I am available. There are days and night shifts everywhere and those employed are also young professionals. Every company has one or two such cases. But it wouldn't be wise to label all BPO employees as those with loose morals," said Ritika, another employee working with a top BPO company in Gurgaon.

Speaking to MiD DAY, Dr. Sanjay Chugh, a well-known psychiatrist said, "There is a common belief that the sex epidemic in India especially among call center girls and guys is rising at astronomical heights. The reason behind this is those working in these sectors are young with a lot of disposable incomes. "

"They don't have any liability and have a different living style which fascinates many. So whenever this term is used, it immediately catches the attention of many people. But not all MMS could be associated with some high profile people. So this term is used to create maximum impact," he added.

In a recent joint Reuters/Ipsos global survey of about 12,000 people in 24 countries, it was found that workers in India were the mostly likely to report sexual harassment with a report rate of 26 per cent. They were followed by workers in China with 18 per cent reporting sexual harassment, Saudi Arabia 16 per cent, Mexico 13 per cent and South Africa 10 per cent.

The poll also found that 7 per cent of employees have been intentionally physically assaulted out of anger by a co-worker or manager during their workday. India again topped the table with 25 per cent of workers saying they had been assaulted at work. Sweden was once again at the bottom with only one percent reporting such an incident.

Posted by Veronica Silva Cusi, news correspondent
Source: http://www.ndtv.com

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