Film producer calls for commission to stamp out sexual harassment
Hollywoodproducerkathleen Kennedy has called for a commission and a “zero tolerance” attitude to transform the film industry in order to protect people against sexual harassment.
The Lucasfilm president also took aim at “predators” within her industry, who should not be able to rely on their“powerorwealthorfame to shield them from the consequences of their actions”.
Her comments came in response to several accusations of sexual harassment from a number of women against producer Harvey Weinstein, who is currently being investigated by the Metropolitan Police over five allegations dating back to the late 1980s.
Speaking at the Elle Women In Hollywood event, Ms Kennedy condemned the “terrible and terrifying” stories about sexual harassment that have come to light over the past week or so, and said there is a growing demand “for action to prevent further civil and human rights abuses in the future”.
“Increased awareness of the belittlement, objectification, and predation long endured by women who work in film will certainly be one result of the exposure of what Harvey Weinstein did and was permitted to do,” she said.
“The misogyny that is the context for this inhumanity will continue unless there is decisive, industry-wide institutional response that legislates change rather than hopes for it to happen.”
0 Jennifer Lawrence, Kathleen Kennedy and Reese Witherspoon attends ELLE’S 24th Annual Women in Hollywood Celebration sive behaviour”, along with a “secure, reliable, unimpeachable system” for victims of abuse to report into confidently without risking “their employment, reputations, and careers”.
Ms Kennedy told the audience at the Los Angeles event that she has asked the board of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, of which she is a governor, to “take the first steps toward creating this commission”.
Mr Weinstein has been ousted by the Academy, which hosts the Oscars, after the board of governors met to discuss the movie mogul’s future.
The 65-year-old Oscar winner has become only the second person in history to be evicted, and it came after the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta) announced it suspended Mr Weinstein’s membership.
Two days after the Academy’s decision, the Producers Guild of America also voted unanimously to institute termination proceedings for Mr Weinstein.