Women In Animation (WIA) and Raising Films are joining the growing movement combating sexual harassment and abuse in the entertainment industry. Per Deadline, WIA has been bringing the subject up at meetings with studio owners, scheduling appointments with legal experts, and sharing resources for victims online. Meanwhile, Raising Films published an open letter yesterday detailing the actions the industry should take to obtain justice for victims and ensure that workplace harassment becomes a thing of the past. It’s already been signed by over 500 people.
One of WIA’s endeavors is the Roar Art Project, which allows individuals to express their experiences of gender discrimination via art or animation. WIA is currently accepting submissions to the project and will showcase selected pieces in an online gallery later this month. The pieces may also be presented at exhibitions.
“As we’ve seen over the last few weeks, the antidote to the poison is talking about it; breaking the silence and bringing the secrets out into the light,” WIA President Marge Dean wrote in a company email. “Making art is exactly that. Our hope is that making art will be cathartic for the folks who do it as well as for the ones who see and share it.”
WIA has also posted resources for sexual harassment victims on its website and, in association with The Animation Guild, will host a panel discussion with legal experts and counseling consultants. WIA also spoke with independent studio owners to go over “what policies and practices they currently have in place to support and protect their employees,” Deadline details.
“Stopping all forms of harassment is central to WIA’s mission to increase the number of women and other under-represented groups in creative roles so that more diverse voices will be heard,” Dean wrote. “It will make for better entertainment and an overall better culture.”
As for Raising Films, its letter argues that sexual harassment will continue to be tolerated as long as the industry’s current practices stay in place. “We know there are others that are abusing their positions of power within the industry today but what persists is the inability to take action to prevent this. We do not have adequate systems or structures in place for workers to challenge unfair and unlawful behavior,” it observes.
So the organization has compiled new practices the industry can adopt in order to protect its employees and secure justice for victims. A “detailed, in-depth, sector-wide independent investigation,” a tribunal, a support network organized by unions and guilds, and better HR training and leadership are among its suggestions.
The letter was drafted and signed by Raising Films’ Nicky Bentham, Tamsyn Dent, Hope Dickson Leach, Laura Giles, Line Langebek, Jessica Levick, and Sophie Mayer.
You can read the letter and add your name over at Raising Films’ website.
Many 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. Women In Film is organizing a sexual harassment Help Line and pro bono legal service, and Los Angeles DA Jackie Lacey is forming a sexual assault task force. The Swedish Film Institute is also developing a program to inform and educate filmmakers about sexual harassment
