Aparna, Swastika, Paoli among 100 artists demanding safer work environment in Bengal

Bengali film industry

Over a hundred female artistes associated with the Bengali film industry wrote to the state-run Tele Academy on Tuesday, seeking a safer workplace amid the outrage over the rape-murder of the doctor at RG Kar hospital.

Among the signatories of the letter, which was also sent to the Eastern India Motion Picture Association (EIMPA) and West Bengal Motion Picture Artistes Forum, were director Aparna Sen, actors Rupa Ganguly, Swastika Mukherjee, Paoli Dam, Sohini Sarkar, Sohini Sengupta, Bidipta Chakraborty, Chaitali Dasgupta, Anuradha Ray and Shakuntala Barua, and scriptwriter Meghatithi Banerjee.

"People of West Bengal, along with the entire nation, have been shocked to their core by the recent torture and murder of a woman doctor at her workplace - RG Kar Medical College & Hospital, Kolkata. In the wake of this heinous crime, it is heartening to see that the entertainment industry - theatre artists and technicians, musicians, makeup artists, dancers and choreographers, screenwriters and technicians are taking to the streets in fervent protests," said the letter.

"However, it is indeed striking that some of us are yet to take a stand against the recurring incidents of sexual abuse/ harassment/ violence within our own workplaces. As women working in the Bengali film, web platform and television industry, we face various kinds of sexual abuse every day; as well as regularly hear of the rampant abuse faced by women, children and those of marginal identities," it said.

The letter, issued by the Women's Forum for Screen Workers, said that no functional support system was in place to prevent, prohibit and redress sexual harassment.
"Nor any open conversation (happens) about the recurrent incidents of sexual abuse of women, children and other extremely vulnerable people working in this industry. It is at once an open secret and a hushed-up reality," it added.

The letter said there was also a huge gap in information, access and advocacy about occupational safety and health, favourable working conditions, and social security guaranteed to all workers by labour laws.
"In light of the above, we are writing this letter to inquire about - whether any statutory structure has been established for workers in the television, web platform and film industry in accordance with the sexual harassment prevention acts and creation of safe spaces of work, constitution of Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) by all employers with seven or more workers informing all workers about the LCC at the district levels," it said.

The letter called for a strict mechanism for whistle-blowing in cases of seeking sexual benefits in exchange for access to work.
"We know that it is the responsibility of the employers in all sectors to ensure the dignity and safety of workers in their workplaces; we state firmly that the television, web platform, and film industry should be no exception," it said.