The entertainment industry is largely located in Southern California and, with that, there are commonly allegations that those in a position of power commit sexual harassment on underlings and aspiring performers. It is not limited to performers, however. Staff members, crew and others can be harassed. Those who are crewmembers for an entertainment program often find themselves subjected to these behaviors. With the growing movement to put a stop to it and garner compensation in lawsuits, it is important for victims to understand their rights.
A man who served as a cameraman for the CBS TV show “Criminal Minds” has filed a lawsuit alleging that a producer and others sexually harassed him. He also says he was subjected to inappropriate and abusive treatment. Several defendants are named in the filing. The man stated that he began working on the series in 2011 and the director of photography touched him inappropriately. This happened many times while he worked there. In addition, he says the same man screamed at him, threatened his job, said he was going to be demoted and prevented him from career advancement. He says other employees were harassed and dealt with workplace violations. The sexual harassment happened approximately two or three times weekly until Oct. 2019.
There could be some inherent beliefs about sexual harassment in the entertainment industry that suggest it is limited to people who want to be in television and movies and find themselves subject to unwanted advances. However, crew members, ancillary employees and anyone else – male or female – can be mistreated in this manner and have it negatively impact their job. There are many categories of sexual harassment including touching, coercion, unwelcome stares, lewd comments, showing images and making offensive comments. This will not only serve to make the worker uncomfortable, but it can harm the potential for advancement. A lawsuit is a strategy to stop the behavior and be compensated.
With the former cameraman for a popular TV program coming forward with accusations of sexual harassment, it adds another level to the growing number of people who were confronted with this behavior, spoke out about it and sought compensation. For those who are facing sexual harassment in any job, legal assistance is vital to file a claim to be compensated. An experienced employment attorney can help.