French Parliament to Investigate Sexual Abuse in Cinema
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The French parliament has approved the creation of a commission of inquiry to investigate abuse and sexual violence in the country’s cinema and audiovisual industries as well as the worlds of the performing arts, advertising and fashion.
The initiative follows a request by actress and filmmaker Judith Godrèche, who has spearheaded a fresh #MeToo wave in France in recent months, following her decision to go public with allegations of sexual assault against directors Benoît Jacquot and Jacques Doillon, which they have denied.
Godrèche pushed for the creation of a commission of inquiry in February and then again in March in separate addresses to the French Senate and parliament, at the invitation of their delegations for women’s rights and children’s rights.
Francesca Pasquini, who is a member of parliament for The Ecologists party, acted on Godrèche’s request to set in motion a proposal to create the commission.
The proposal was approved on Thursday morning by parliament with a 52-vote majority.
“It’s time to stop rolling out the red carpet for aggressors,” Pasquini told the lower house ahead of the vote.
According to a parliamentary text laying out the work of the cross-party commission, its objectives will be to assess the situation of minors working in the cinema, audiovisual, performing arts, fashion and advertising sectors and also take stock of violence committed against adults within these sectors.
Further objectives will be to identify the mechanisms and failings which allow abuse and violence to take place unchecked and set responsibilities for organizations active in these sectors to protect their workers going forward.
The creation of the commission comes amid an unprecedented #MeToo wave within the French film industry in recent months, in the wake of Godrèche’s stand.