Hollywood Commission to launch harassment reporting platform

The Hollywood Commision chaired by Anita Hill have released an industry survey that shares details like how fewer than half of those who participated believe the industry has made progress in addressing power abuses since the #MeToo movement began three years ago.

Talking about the results, Anita Hill said, "People feel there is a lack of accountability for misbehavior. As many as 64 percent of our sample said they thought people in power or authority would not be held accountable for harassment that was found to exist."

So, as a solution, theta re working towards building a cross-industry anonymous reporting platform that will help identify abusers, with plans to start rolling it out in the first quarter of 2021. 

Anita Hill is a professor at Brandeis University who brought national exposure to the issue of sexual harassment during the 1991 Senate confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. She says that the reporting platform will help identify repeat offenders, which is especially important in an industry in which many workers are transient and production entities spring into and out of existence.

She said, "People move from job to job. It is very difficult to trace employment history and perhaps history of abuse and inappropriateness. It allows us to see people who may be serial abusers who might not otherwise be found out."

While the commission does not investigate allegations and has no enforcement mechanisms, the platform will allow anonymous two-way online messaging so individuals can ask questions and learn about resources. Multiple reports on the same individual will be reported to that person's employer or guild, which will then decide what action to take.