SCHWIMMER FIGHTS AGAINST SEXUAL ABUSE

American actor David Schwimmer (right), best known for playing the character Ross Geller in the sitcom Friends, stars in one of six short videos released on Monday as part of the campaign, #ThatsHarassment. He’s also one of the executive producers for the project. The 50-year-old actor teamed up with Israeli director Sigal Avin, who last year released short videos, based on real-life incidents of sexual harassment.

For both Schwimmer and Avin, the issue is dear to their hearts, due to personal experiences. Schwimmer, who has a six-year-old daughter, said that he had grown concerned after hearing “countless stories” of sexual harassment. “Every woman in my family, in my life, has been harassed,” he said, adding, “The problem is that people don’t step forward or say something, if they’re witnessing it because of fear of retaliation.” One of the videos, titled The Co-worker, features a male bartender telling his female colleague about drunk customers making lewd comments about “grabbing” women by the genitals. Though an apparent reference to U.S. President Donald Trump’s boast in a 2005 video about grabbing women’s genitals, Schwimmer dismissed any such claims. “This is not a partisan liberal Hollywood throwing their arms up against the Trump’ issue,” he said. “Every woman, no matter what her political beliefs are, is subject to sexual harassment.” In another video, The Boss, Schwimmer plays an office worker who claims to show his appreciation to a reluctant assistant by kissing her. The videos, available on Facebook, also feature actors Cynthia Nixon best known from the TV series, Sex in the City, Emmy Rossum from U.S. comedy series, Shameless and Cristela Alonzo from sitcom Cristela.

FRIENDS STAR, DAVID SCHWIMMER RELEASED SIX SHORT VIDEOS AS PART OF THE CAMPAIGN, #THATSHARASSMENT

PHOTO: TONY CENICOLA/THE NEW YORK TIMES