Karnataka Women's Commission gives Kannada film industry 15 days to come up with POSH plan
Bengaluru, Sep 16: The Karnataka State Women's Commission on Monday asked a Kannada film chamber to come up with an action plan for putting together a committee against sexual harassment or give reasons why it is not possible to do that.
Director of Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC) N M Suresh and filmmaker Kavitha Lankesh, who attended a meeting in this connection, confirmed the commission's direction to the chamber.
In the meeting convened by KFCC with women artistes, as directed by the state Women's Commission a few days ago, the former was given 15 days to come up with an action plan for putting together a POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace) committee or give reasons why it is not possible to do that.
"It is a small step in the battle for justice to women in the film industry. And today it really felt like we were in a battle even for this small gain," said Lankesh president of Film Industry for Rights & Equality (FIRE). She was present in the meeting.
Incidentally, FIRE set the ball rolling in the Kannada film industry when on September 4, it managed to get 153 artistes to undersign a petition to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, demanding a committee on the lines of the Justice K Hema Committee, whose report revealed instances of abuse and harassment of women professionals in Malayalam cinema, leading to outcry.
According to Lankesh, it has also decided to conduct a survey among women in the industry, offering them a chance to come out with their problems anonymously, if they so wish so.
Suresh said the organisation will be looking into the demand to introduce POSH Act in Kannada film industry as well as forming a panel on the likes of Hema Committee.
During the meeting, the Women's Commission presented a 17-point agenda to tackle the sexual and other exploitation of women in the industry.
"Once they send these 17 demands as a letter, we will convene a meeting among us and discuss further. The point is, no woman in Kannada industry has come forward to make a formal complaint against anyone to us so far. Neither has the women's commission any complaint from industry women lodged with them. So we will have to see if we really require a committee like Hema committee. These things we will discuss soon," said Suresh.
Lankesh said so far when women had come forward, they were either belittled or asked to compromise, thus dissuading others.
"Without even a helpline number, women or the workers, who are also exploited, had nowhere to go. Now, with all the pushing and prodding after Hema committee report was released, we have at least come this far," Lankesh added.
Chairperson of the Karnataka State Commission for Women Nagalakshmi Chowdhary could not be reached.
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Nick Carter of Backstreet Boys faces lawsuit alleging sexual assault, transmission of STD in 2005
Backstreet Boys singer Nick Carter has been accused of sexual assault and knowingly transmitting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in a lawsuit filed by a woman who alleges the incidents occurred in 2005, when she was 19 years old.
According to People, the woman claimed she had a consensual relationship with Carter that turned non-consensual. The lawsuit alleges that during a visit to Carter’s apartment to watch a movie, the singer ‘insisted on having sex’. When the complainant refused and asked him to use protection, Carter allegedly ignored her objections, assured her he was "clean of STDs," and forced himself on her without a condom.
The woman claimed that Carter assaulted her multiple times during the encounter, and that she did not speak out at the time out of fear of not being believed. She stated that she returned to meet Carter a few days later after he apologised, but he allegedly assaulted her again.
In her complaint, the woman said Carter transmitted multiple STDs, including human papillomavirus (HPV), which later led to her diagnosis of Stage 2 cervical cancer.
The lawsuit outlines that she underwent extensive treatment and procedures, resulting in physical, emotional, and financial hardship. This is the fourth sexual assault complaint against Carter, who has denied the allegations.
