TORONTO – As allegations swirl about the conduct of American film producer and former film studio director Harvey Weinstein, ACTRA issued the following statement on Friday:
The disturbing allegations about producer Harvey Weinstein are an important reminder of the work we all need to do to make workspaces safe for all performers.
We know sexual discrimination and sexual harassment are very real issues in the industry and in society as a whole. We also know, sadly, how prevalent and difficult predatory behaviour is to report. As industry leaders, we all have a role to play in ending the culture of silence. It’s incumbent upon all of us to combat it and create a safe space for victims to speak out without fear of retribution or harassment.
ACTRA works hard to ensure safe and respectful working environments for our members and industry partners, but we know there’s much more to do. We take reports of harassment and bullying very seriously. We are going to work with our industry partners to build on what we are already doing. This will require an industry-wide effort to address a systemic problem that has existed and often been ignored for way too long. We all have to and will do better.
– ACTRA president David Sparrow, ACTRA vice-president Alvin Sanders and ACTRA treasurer Theresa Tova
