Blowing Water | Netflix-style sexual harassment training? No thanks. Abuse of power is the real problem exposed by #MeToo movement
Luisa Tam says Hongkongers are smart enough to figure out on their own what constitutes inappropriate behaviour. Rather, it is the unchecked abuse of authority that has allowed harassment to flourish – something obscure rules will do little to address
Since October last year the #MeToo movement has achieved what the law could not. It has swept across the globe like a sickle, cutting away at the undergrowth behind which sex abusers were hiding. It has prompted numerous Hollywood celebrities to share their personal stories of sexual violence, but has brought change extending well beyond Tinseltown.
Thrown into damage control mode, Netflix not only cut short House of Cards but also introduced anti-harassment training for its employees.
New rules imposed on film sets included a ban on lingering hugs, flirting, asking for a colleague’s phone number, and, believe it or not, staring at anyone for more than five seconds, which was considered odd and creepy.
These rules boil down to weeding out two types of behaviours – those persistent and unwanted.