The Sri Lankan Twitter space was abuzz recently with many victims coming forth and revealing the phantasmagoric horror they were faced with, when working as journalists at Sri Lanka’s leading media institutions.  The claims included sexual violence, harassment, coercion and racism. Although the situation has been quietly worsening over the years for women in Media Institutions, the recent revolution shed light on the urgency of the matter and called the attention of those in power.

What is now being dubbed as the Sri Lankan #MeToo movement was roused by a Twitter thread written by one journalist sharing her story. In the thread, she claimed that during her tenure at a leading newspaper, she was the victim of many threats of sexual harassment including rape. Her story paved the way for many other women in the industry to come forth and iterate their stories with the world which triggered a probe by the Ministry of Mass Media led by Minister Keheliya Rambukwella into workplace harassment in Sri Lanka’s media institutions. However, during the press conference which was held yesterday (22) to discuss the matter, the minister explicitly stated that the claims would only be investigated if the victims were to lodge a formal complaint. Scilicet, no active measures will be taken to ensure a safe work environment for women employees in the media industry unless a formal complaint is made, even though evidence of repeated sexual harassment has been brought to light.

One of the many reasons victims fail to come forward is the consequences which come with lodging a complaint, if the matter isn’t handled delicately and appropriately. In the case of one journalist, she revealed that she was repeatedly harassed by her Superior who also happened to be the perpetrator after filing the formal complaint.

Another reason would be the cultural stigma that is associated with women and their sexual practices. One victim claimed that her superior sexually abused her and “controlled her family to stay quiet”.

The #MeToo movement has become an instrumental tool for women to come forward with their experiences with sexual harassment across various industries. The movement first gained traction in 2016 when the widespread allegations of sexual abuse against American Media Tycoon Harvey Weinstein surfaced. A number of world famous celebrities such as Uma Thurman, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Lawrence too have joined the cause by publicly relating their stories.

In the recent past, the movement faced backlash due to actress Amber Heard falsely claiming that she was abused by ex-husband Johnny Depp when evidence which proved the contrary surfaced on Social Media.

Nevertheless, the movement stands in stride, encouraging more and more victims of sexual abuse and harassment to share the stories, create awareness and hold those in power accountable for their actions.

As a media institution in which 90% are female employees, ChoKoLAATe Magazine is appalled at the toxic work culture that has been created in the Media industry and stands in solidarity with the victims.

By Tharumalee Silva,

Freelance Writer for ChoKoLAATe Magazine.