More than 300 communications professors, students and professionals yesterday signed a petition to create a “no silence” environment where gender equality is an important value in education, the workplace and law.
The petition was launched as more people continued to come forward with their stories of being sexually harassed as Taiwan’s #MeToo movement gains traction following allegations made against high-profile figures in the political, academic and cultural arenas over the past two weeks.
The petition was signed by students and faculty from National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU), National Taiwan University, National Chengchi University, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, National Chung Cheng University, Fu Jen Catholic University, Ming Chuan University and Shih Hsin University, said Eva Tsai (蔡如音), director of NTNU’s Graduate Institute of Mass Communications, who started the initiative.
Photo: Reuters
Some media professionals also volunteered to sign the petition, she said.
“The autonomy and boundaries of a person’s body should be valued and respected. No one should be an outsider on the road to gender equality,” Tsai said.
The initiative was launched in light of multiple sexual harassment scandals that were exposed recently after victims talked about their plights, many of whom are media professionals, the petition says.
“The recent events have caused students and faculty members at the college of communication to re-examine the relations between media and other disciplines in society, from society, culture to technology,” it says.
“We believe that it should be a fundamental human right to work in a healthy workplace where workers are equal and respect each other,” the petition says.
“No one should be subject to any form of sexual harassment and subsequent mental and physical trauma, loss of jobs and doubts of personal values,” it adds.
“We need to firmly condemn actions that contravene the Gender Equality in Employment Act (性別工作平等法), and facilitate change through education and by speaking up. We should not be silent. We should expand the concept of ‘no silence,’” it says.
The petition calls for the reinforcement of existing mechanisms for media professionals to file sexual harassment complaints and better protection of victims.
Faculty teaching communication, media and information technology should incorporate gender equality and occupational safety into their curricula and classroom discussions, it says.
Although the legislature has passed amendments to the Criminal Code, the Crime Victim Protection Act (犯罪被害人權益保障法), Child and Youth Sexual Exploitation Prevention Act (兒童及少年性剝削防制條例) and Sexual Harassment Prevention Act (性侵害犯罪防治法), some of the regulations might not be adequate to protect those working in the television and film industry, who are atypical employees, the petition says.
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