Dozens of women in Irish arts world claim abuse

Avalanche of women’s personal accounts points to shocking

DOZENS of women have come forward this week claiming they have been sexually harassed and bullied by senior figures working in the arts sector.

Some of these allegations are so serious that the alleged victims are considering reporting their complaints to An Garda Síochána.

The shocking revelations come a week after the Irish Mail on Sunday revealed how former Gate Theatre boss Michael Colgan allegedly made lewd and sexist comments to awardwinning theatre director Grace Dyas.

A leading member of the cultural community, Mr Colgan allegedly looked the young woman ‘up and down’ in The Oak pub after a Dublin Theatre Festival launch, and asked: ‘Have you lost weight?’ before adding, ‘You have lost so much weight, I’d almost have sex with you.’

Several attempts were made to contact Mr Colgan this week but he did not respond to our questions.

Two other people, who were in The Oak that evening, backed up Ms Dyas’s version of events to the MoS. Ms Dyas’s account of what happened – which was published with the global awareness #MeToo hashtag slogan set up in the wake of the sexual assault and harassment allegations against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein – has gone viral on social media.

Over the past week almost a dozen other women have come forward with allegations of sexual harassment against Mr Colgan.

Last night Ms Dyas revealed: ‘Since I posted my experience, people have been telling me of their own experiences of abuses of power in Irish public life, including sexual harassment, assault, bullying, non-consensual touching and violation of their bodily integrity. Over 25 in relation to more than one person.

‘In most of these cases these people feel they have nowhere to go to seek justice. I am offering support by listening, hearing and believing. I have directed people to complain to boards, to the gardaí and I’m in touch with the Rape Crisis Centre. I have also been offering the support of therapists, who have volunteered to support these people.

‘If any of these people ask me to publish their stories on my blog, I will do so if they have no other options to expose these abuses of power and ensure that people are safe within organisations.’

Since Ms Dyas – an accomplished playwright, director and producer – went public with her allegations against the former Gate Theatre director, a number of other women have also posted online their accounts of being sexually harassed by him.

They include Ciara Elizabeth Smyth who worked as Mr Colgan’s personal assistant during the final year of his 33-year tenure at the Gate Theatre.

Recounting her experience Ms Smyth wrote on Ms Dyas’s blog: ‘I cannot begin to document the plethora of inappropriateness and bullying that I experienced while I was in the Gate.

‘Not all from Michael Colgan either. When it was him, with me, it was mostly behind closed doors. Constant touching of my thighs, back and very occasionally my bum while I sat beside him typing from his dictation. He made frequent comments about the size of my breasts and whether or not I’d contemplate a breast reduction, considering my small frame.

‘He commented on other women and asked me if I thought they’d give b*** jobs or what I thought that they f ***** like.’

Then, recalling what allegedly happened during an audition where others were present, theatre manager Ms Smyth claimed: ‘He [Mr Colgan] then threw his hand up high in the air as if he was going to slap me. I put my hand out to stop him and said quietly, “Michael, don’t.”

‘At this stage I imagined everyone was looking at us, but I didn’t take my eyes off him to check. Michael then said: “Would you ever f*** off; I wasn’t going to hit you.” I smiled and turned on my heel to leave. The second I turned he walloped me on the ass.’

The board of directors of the theatre – which receives grant aid from the State – insist they never received any ‘formal complaints’ about Mr Colgan. But when asked by the MoS whether others at the theatre had received complaints, a spokeswoman declined to answer the question.

Meanwhile, Niamh Smyth, Fianna Fáil spokeswoman on Arts and Culture, has said that allegations of sexual harassment at the Gate must be fully investigated.

In a statement issued last night she said: ‘These claims have rocked to the core the Irish artistic community and are a major threat to our reputation as a leading artistic nation.

‘Every single one of these allegations needs to be investigated and the women who have made these very serious allegations must be supported and offered counselling and advice.

‘As someone who has often frequented the Gate, I was appalled at these allegations. And as someone in regular contact with members of the Irish and international arts community, I am aware that our country’s reputation in the arts is exceptionally important, was hard earned and must be protected.

‘There has to be a zero tolerance approach to bullying and sexual harassment of any kind and it is essential that any person who engages in such behaviour is held to account.

‘The arts must be a safe space for everyone involved. That means for both practitioners and for administrators alike. Our objective must be to stamp out behaviour of this type and ensure that no person, woman or man, feels intimidated or harassed in their workplace.’

‘Constant touching of my thighs, back and bum’