Awareness of Harassment in Film, TV Sees ‘Dramatic Upswing’ Since 2020, Hollywood Commission Survey Finds
The Hollywood Commission, which seeks to “create a safe and equitable future for the entertainment industry,” found in a new survey that staffers’ awareness of harassment in the workplace has risen since 2020. The organization’s chair and president Anita Hill is hopeful that proper education will help alleviate the systemic issue over time.
“The dramatic upswing in awareness of the types of behavior that do not belong in the workplace is a key step forward,” Hill said of the findings from the commission’s 2022-23 Entertainment Industry Survey, which surveyed over 5,000 anonymous industry workers. “Shifts in attitudes and values of workers and leadership pave the way for institutional and systemic changes that will ultimately lead to eliminating workplace misconduct.”
Per the results of the survey, there’s also been a rise in the number of workers who are aware of what workplace misconduct is, how to report it and how to respond to retaliation, which the findings point out as a “crucial first step in positively shifting workplace attitudes and behavior.”
On the flip side of that, the report also spotlighted how industry workers are still experiencing “high rates of of misconduct” that they don’t report. And while much progress has been made in the entertainment business as it relates to equity and inclusion, the results showed 71% of employees aren’t convinced people in powerful positions will face consequences for their actions even after being reported.
Another key takeaway from the survey was that workers still live in fear of being retaliated against and being labeled as “difficult to work with,” which leads to people overlooking abuse as not being “serious enough” to speak out against.
In an effort to push progress forward, the commission recommended a few tips for people in leadership roles: focus on prevention, encourage leadership with consistency and integrity, as well as improve reporting structures and training programs.
The organization works in collaboration with 26 of Hollywood’s most prominent companies, unions, guilds, talent agencies and academies. Approximately 5,259 workers participated in the survey.
“Our focus is to root out the harmful conduct that workers reported in our survey by bridging gaps in existing industry systems that leave industry workplaces vulnerable to abusive and discriminatory behaviors,” Hill said. “This is why everyone at the Hollywood Commission remains so dedicated to our cause; early this new year, we will launch new programs that we believe will make an impact. We are hitting the ground running and look forward to engaging our partner organizations to support safe and productive workplaces for all industry workers.”
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