How does the Indian legal system differentiate between offenses such as sexual harassment and assault with intent to outrage modesty?
Here's how the Indian legal system typically distinguishes between these offenses:

Sexual Harassment: Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that creates a hostile or offensive work or educational environment. It can occur in various settings including workplaces, educational institutions, and public spaces. Sexual harassment is often a form of gender-based discrimination and can involve behavior such as unwanted touching, comments, gestures, or displays of sexually explicit material.

In India, sexual harassment is primarily addressed under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, 2013. This law provides a framework for preventing and redressing cases of sexual harassment in the workplace and mandates the establishment of internal complaints committees in organizations to address complaints of sexual harassment.

Assault with Intent to Outrage Modesty: Assault with the intent to outrage the modesty of a woman is defined under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). This offense involves assaulting or using criminal force against a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty. The term "modesty" in this context generally refers to a woman's sense of decency or propriety.

Unlike sexual harassment, which may not involve physical contact or may occur in non-physical settings, assault with the intent to outrage modesty typically involves physical actions such as touching, groping, or making sexually explicit gestures towards a woman without her consent. The key element of this offense is the intention of the perpetrator to outrage the modesty of the woman.

The punishment for this offense may include imprisonment, a fine, or both, as prescribed under the IPC.