Toronto – March 6, 2020 – In solidarity with International Women’s Day, ACTRA Toronto is pleased to release its Best Practices for Scenes Involving Nudity, Intimacy, Simulated Sex and Sexual Violence.
Amidst the watershed of the #MeToo movement, ACTRA Toronto members came forward with stories of harassment. ACTRA Toronto Council took immediate steps to address harassment, discrimination, bullying and violence in Canadian screen-based entertainment. Measures included spearheading The Canadian Creative Industries Code of Conduct to Prevent and Respond to Harassment, Discrimination, Bullying and Violence; engaging Special Advisor on Human Rights and Sexual Harassment Victoria Shen, forming an Ad Hoc Committee on Sexual Harassment, updating policies, procedures, by-laws and training; co-launching the HAVEN Helpline, and supporting the engagement of certified Intimacy Coordinators. Best Practices is Council’s latest initiative to combat harassment and drive cultural change in our industry.
The document guides workers in the entertainment industry to ask the right questions and contains separate checklists for performers, Intimacy Coordinators, agents, casting directors and production companies. It covers situations from pre-production through to post-production, including auditions, wardrobe fittings, contracting, closed-set protocols and restricted access in post-production.
“This is a living document,” says ACTRA Toronto President Theresa Tova. “We look forward to it fostering important conversations, understanding and action among performers and industry partners alike to ensure all workplace interactions are respectful and consent-based.”
ACTRA Toronto is the largest organization within ACTRA, representing more than 15,000 of Canada’s 25,000 professional performers working in recorded media in Canada. As an advocate for Canadian culture since 1943, ACTRA is a member-driven union that continues to secure rights and respect for the work of professional performers.
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Media contact: Karen Woolridge, Public Relations Officer, Mobile: (416) 937-1437, email: kwoolridge@actratoronto.com