The PoSH Act traces its origins to the tragic and deeply unsettling Bhanwari Devi case of 1992. Bhanwari Devi, a fearless social worker from Rajasthan, dared to challenge the centuries-old practice of child marriage in her village. Her courage was met with monstrous brutality. She was gang-raped by upper-caste men—a horrific act meant to crush her spirit, silence her voice, and remind her of her place in a society steeped in oppression and patriarchy.

In response, the Supreme Court introduced the Vishaka Guidelines in 1997. These guidelines recognized sexual harassment as not just an individual offense but a violation of a woman’s fundamental rights, laying the groundwork for the PoSH Act. The Act was finally enacted in 2013, following the nationwide outrage after the Nirbhaya gang rape.