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Anita Hill-led Hollywood Commission to launch anonymous sexual harassment reporting platform

Anita Hill
Posted at 1:24 PM, Dec 15, 2020
and last updated 2020-12-15 13:24:48-05

Anita Hall, along with the Hollywood Commission, will launch a new anonymous reporting platform next year to hold serial harassers in the movie industry accountable.

Hill, who made history in October 1991 when she testified before Congress about the alleged sexual harassment she experienced when she was an aide by then-Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Twenty-nine years later, Hill is still finding ways to address the abuse and harassment women still face today.

The Hollywood Commission, founded by entertainment lawyer Nina Shaw and Lucasfilm's Kathleen Kennedy and Hill chairs, recently spearheaded a survey that found survivors want to track harassment and abuse in the workplace.

According to the survey, 93% of the 9,630 anonymous current and former workers in Hollywood said they wanted "technology for victims to create a time-stamped record" that would track harassment and abuse in the workplace.

After its findings, the commission announced in September that by the first quarter of 2021, they would launch a cross-industry anonymous reporting platform that would help identify abusers.

The platform would also allow users to ask questions or raise concerns through a two-way anonymous messaging system.

"For too long in Hollywood, there have been 'open secrets' about the harassment perpetrated on workers by powerful people who are able to successfully evade accountability for their actions," said Hill in the press release. "With this survey, we have identified the most vulnerable workers in Hollywood and the resources and systems that will provide support and a safety net for them. Our expectation is that these tools will be the foundation to build a new era of transparency and accountability for all workers in the entertainment industry."

According to the press release, the commission will also train 450 entertainment workers through a bystander intervention training program to teach them how to intervene if they see abuse happening.