In the wake of sexual assault and harassment accusations that began with film mogul Harvey Weinstein, performing arts industries around the world have found that they aren’t immune to predatory behaviour directed towards women. Canada is no different, and some acting students at the University of Windsor have started taking self-defence classes and intimacy workshops to protect themselves against sexual assault when they enter the world of theatre.
While self-defence classes are an undoubtedly good way to learn practical skills for dire situations, they imply that the onus is on the victim to fend off unwanted advances.
Solidarity campaigns like #MeToo have begun to shift the blame from survivor to abuser, but many survivors are still victim-blamed and are asked questions about their outfit or how much they drank before they were attacked. This often extends to self-defence when survivors are asked why they didn’t fight off their attackers.
The fact that the multiple allegations against Weinstein occurred over decades, with women stating they felt they had to stay silent, shows Hollywood has a long way to go before the industry will shift from a victim-blaming mentality.
Ideally, victims shouldn’t be held responsible for fighting off unwanted approaches. The industry should hold assailants responsible for their actions and take appropriate measures to prevent and end the violence.
