Thanks to Women In Film (WIF), it’s now a little easier for those experiencing sexual harassment to receive help. The Los Angeles Times confirms that the Help Line WIF announced last month is now officially live. Survivors can call (323) 545–0333 and report cases of sexual abuse Monday through Friday.
“Often times, human resources isn’t available. And, at times, it’s not useful,” WIF president Cathy Schulman said of the need for the Help Line, which she described as a “safe zone.” “We’re a nonprofit that’s not aligned with any particular studio, or agency, or production company, or a network, or news channel. We felt that we could quickly become the place for women to reach out.”
WIF is also hard at work establishing a pro bono legal service, also announced in November. WIF member and entertainment lawyer Bonnie Eskanazi is leading two dozen lawyers who will offer free legal assistance to harassment victims. “The group plans to develop a system to confidentially keep track of complaints to identify trends when numerous allegations are made against one individual or a particular workplace,” the Times adds.
“This is meant to be part of the long-term solution,” Eskanazi said. “When the huge outcry over sexual harassment dies down — and it will — there still will be some institutional effort to help women in need — a place where people can come for help.”
The Help Line and legal service have been organized in response to the wave of sexual misconduct stories that have come out of Hollywood and elsewhere since the Harvey Weinstein revelations. The multitude of reports have sent shockwaves through the culture in and out of Hollywood. Even industry vets like Schulman were floored by the sheer volume of allegations. “Like many people in Hollywood, I would have thought that this kind of thing was highly unusual and extremely rare,” she said. “I’m not naive, and have certainly seen my fair share of bad behavior … but this explosion of news has come as a shock to all of us.”
Alongside WIF, many other organizations and figures in the film industry are making an effort to combat the rampant harassment and abuse in show business. 20th Century Fox VP Claire Schmidt announced her plans to head AllVoices, a startup designed to fight workplace harassment. “The Hunting Ground” filmmakers Amy Ziering and Kirby Dick are currently collecting research for their documentary about the widespread assault in show business. Los Angeles DA Jackie Lacey is forming a sexual assault task force. And the Swedish Film Institute is also developing a program to inform and educate filmmakers about sexual harassment.
Go to WIF’s website for more information about the Help Line.
