TORONTO – ACTRA and the Directors Guild of Canada (DGC) are behind a dedicated helpline designed to support their members when reporting incidents of harassment.
Known as HAVEN (Harassment and Violence Emergency Network), the 24/7 bilingual critical incident reporting line will go live on June 1 and also offer services such as confidential counselling and total well-being support. For calls regarding harassment or violence, the caller will always have the option to speak with a counsellor.
DGC and ACTRA members can access these services by phone, web chat and online via an app from assistance provider Morneau Shepell.
ACTRA and the DGC, both signatory to the Canadian Creative Industries Code of Conduct, said that the HAVEN Helpline and associated counselling services are part of a commitment to a trauma-informed approach to responding to harassment in the workplace.
“Over the past 18 months, it has become clear a cultural shift within our industry is needed to prevent and reduce harassment. ACTRA has remained dedicated in our commitment to address this issue,” said ACTRA National president David Sparrow, in the news release. “We hope the launch of the HAVEN Helpline will ensure our members have access to available support resources 24/7 if they experience or witness an incident of harassment in the workplace.”
“We owe it to the courageous individuals who’ve exposed the truth about harassment and misconduct in our industry to have their backs. These resources are a major step forward helping us do just that,” added DGC president Tim Southam.
