Russell Brand Claims Have ‘Done Little To Shift the Dial,’ Report Says
High-profile harassment claims such as Russell Brand‘s have “done little to shift the dial” on the “endemic” across creative industries, according to new research from Bectu.
The report concludes there’s a long way to go in meaningfully tackling sexual harassment in the creative industries, and announces a new support service to speak with employees and help them consider their options.
A survey was taken from over 200 workers to better understand the problem. Overall, 92 percent of respondents told Bectu they had personally witnessed or experienced bullying or harassment on grounds of their sex or gender in the workplace.
It found that harassment is “fueled by its hierarchical nature” in the industries, with many junior staff reporting abuse by talent or seniors. Only 14 percent of people said that high-profile allegations like the ones made against Brand improved employers’ responses to sexual harassment in the creative sector.
A major report from U.K.’s The Times, The Sunday Times and Channel 4 Dispatches released last year included the testimonies of multiple women who accused the British comedian and actor of sexual assault and rape in incidents that spanned 2006 to 2013. Brand has denied the claims.
The majority of respondents (92 percent) agreed that the creative industries, such as the ones Brand worked in, allow a dynamic where those in power can easily abuse their status.
Six in 10 respondents had experienced unwanted and/or inappropriate touching, hugging or kissing from colleagues. “There is a system problem with microaggressions,” a live events and TV freelancer anonymously told Bectu. “At my original place of work, I couldn’t stretch, lean across the sound desk or pick something up from the floor without being ogled at by my supervisor.”
Another film and TV freelancer said: “I have been raped on a film by the director… Been shown pornography by a presenter. Many inappropriate comments. Lost work due to being a woman. Seeing a man from the crew masturbating in the compound women’s loos.”
The report also shines a light on reporting systems and how they are “broken” in creative industries. Many confessed to being driven to leave their job, while others were too scared to report in case it negatively impacted their career. More than 60 percent did not report because they feared that nothing would happen as a result.
The research concludes: “There is a very clear need for an independent reporting body to take action against sexual harassment in the creative industries. The industry’s power dynamics, job-to-job way of working, that often relies on connections, in small production companies that have nothing that resembles a formal reporting structure adds to the weight of reporting sexual harassment.”
