Complacency and misogyny, or positive changes that add up to a movement? How the UK screen industries are addressing sexual harassment in the workplace

Abstract

“Safe to Speak Up? Sexual harassment in the UK film and television industry since #MeToo” was a research report published in October 2023 on sexual harassment in the UK screen industries since 2017. This commentary piece reports on the discussion among industry actors at the report launch. Panellists were Deeba Syed, Senior Legal Officer at Rights of Women; Jen Smith, Interim Chief Executive, Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA); Philippa Childs, Head of Bectu (the Broadcasting, Entertainment, Communications and Theatre Union); Lucy Tallon, Head of Mental Health and Wellbeing at The Film and Television Charity; and the author of the report and commentary piece. Themes from the panel discussion were, first, that informal industry structures and informal responses to reports are inhibiting the response to sexual harassment; second, that challenges within the industry response to sexual harassment are complacency and misogyny; third, that there is emerging good practice but employers need to take this up; and fourth, that there are ongoing positive changes that could be argued to add up to a movement. The discussion—and the report—reveals a mixed picture of the industry where positive changes are underway, but where there is a danger of complacency.