Following the sexual abuse allegations against film producer and executive Harvey Weinstein and subsequent #MeToo movement to denounce sexual assault and harassment, a new initiative called Time's Up launched on Monday - which has quickly gained traction globally.
In just two days the new Time's Up Instagram and Twitter accounts have shot up to a total of more than 100,000 followers.
Kicking off with a full page ad in the New York Times, the Time's Up open letter details how the clock has run out on sexual assault, harassment and inequality in the workplace and it says it's time to do something about it.
See: Is there a Weinstein of advertising? Cindy Gallop is calling for names
Whoa. This ad in today’s @nytimes. #timesupnow 💪🏼 pic.twitter.com/kG7R0APhcP
— kdub10s (@kdub10s) January 1, 2018
The #timesupnow hashtag has been trending across social media with many A-list celebrities sharing the letter. Members of the movement say its efforts to change the patterns of such behaviour goes beyond Hollywood and it will work towards helping other sectors.
The anti-harassment action plan was launched by powerful Hollywood women such as Reese Witherspoon and Eva Longoria and includes a legal defense fund, backed by US $13 million in donations; legislation to penalise companies that tolerate persistent harassment and more.
https://twitter.com/FelicityHuffman/status/947814325166755841The full page ad ran in The New York Times and in Spanish-language newspaper La Opinion.
While #MeToo initially sparked outcry with the film and TV sector in Hollywood, many industries, including advertising, have also suffered the same behaviours.
In October, entrepreneur and founder of MakeLoveNotPorn, Cindy Gallop, posted a plea on Facebook urging men and women in the adverting industry that have suffered sexual harassment or abuse at the hands of another to come forward and name names.
Gallop has long campaigned for equality across the industry and has been vocal about her own experience of harassment in the past. Now she’s hoping that the allegations being made about Weinstein’s conduct over the past 20 years in Hollywood will give women in the advertising and media industry confidence to call out similar behaviour.
In the post she said: “Women - and men - of the ad industry, I've been contacted many times over the years by women who've suffered appalling sexual harassment in our industry. Historically, women have been reluctant to speak out and name names. I'm hoping that the current climate may now have changed that - because it's not until the first brave women are willing to speak out, that many others will, to end the Harvey Weinsteins of our industry once and for all.”
If you have a name to name, or a story to share, you can email Gallop or AdNews editor Rosie Baker in complete confidence.
There has long been an issue around sexism and the lack of equal representation for women across creative departments in agencies and the ‘mad men’ character is often said to be alive and well.
Earlier this year, AdNews reported on the findings of the first Agency Circle benchmarking survey in Australia that asked agency employees and leadership questions around diversity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, disability, gender and age.
Read: True state of agencies revealed: The Agency Circle results are in
One of the most concerning areas for Agency Circle chair and Clemenger Sydney CEO Emily Perrett, was around sexual harassment.
- A staggering 42% of female employees across all agencies reported they have experienced sexual harassment at some point in their career in advertising.
- A total of 20% said they had experienced it “more than few times”.
- A third of senior management know women who have experienced sexual harassment.
- Almost half (45%) of women said they feel vulnerable because they are women.
Clemenger issued a follow up survey for its own employees to find out more. It’s available for other agencies to use and carry out. It’s probably something agency leaders should take the time to do. You can contact The Agency Circle for advice here.
Read Clemenger Sydney bares all in diversity.
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