adminRaisedon Baya
THIS is not an easy topic to write about especially if you are a man like myself. Half the time when men write articles on sexual harassment and gender abuse, the articles come out as if in defence of women abuse. The main objective of this article is hopefully to encourage debate on the above issue, especially in the arts sector.
During the first week of January 2018 a very good friend and colleague of mine was accused of sexual harassment and criminal insult. Two ladies accused him. My friend spent the better part of two months going to court to defend his name — which unfortunately had been soiled by the accusations. I must say the court is not a nice place to be. Ayijayeleki. The court is not a friendly place and if you can stay far away from it, please do.
And so after two months of going to court my friend was acquitted of both charges and obviously relieved he decided to celebrate his birthday and the fact that the courts had found him not guilty by throwing a small party.
A feminist colleague did not take kindly to his throwing a party for his birthday, accusing him of celebrating ‘‘women abuse’’. She sounded really angry and let down. What boggles the mind is that even after the courts have cleared my friend, the feminist, and there are many like her, still believe my friend is guilty. I sincerely thought if the court clears you of any wrongdoing it means you are innocent. But apparently others think otherwise. I bring this case here because it is important that while we fight against sexual harassment and gender abuse we are also able to separate the bones from the meat. Surely an accusation is not the same as guilt. You can be accused but still be innocent.
Still in the sector and on women abuse, a young woman in Harare recently came out accusing two young film producers of sexual harassment. Her story has been in the media and has also been the hot topic in most arts WhatsApp groups. As in most sexual harassment cases there are always two sides. In the Harare case there is a lot that has been said about the young woman, especially in an attempt to character assassinate her. However, the worst response on gender abuse I have ever heard came from one Vusa Blacks. Remember Vusa Blacks is one of the leading and most talented music videos editors in the country. He has worked with top artistes like Jah Prayzah and Ammara Brown. Responding to the sexual harassment story and in defence of the two film producers Vusa Blacks accuses the young lady of being ‘‘too beautiful and having a vagina’’. He warns the young woman that most men, including him, would definitely want to sleep with her. Now that’s a truckload of bull. Vusa Blacks must not be allowed to smoke whatever herbs he was smoking on the day he made that statement. I think with his statement Blacks took the arts sector 20 years back. It was a barbaric statement that needs to be condemned by all who believe in the development of the arts in Zimbabwe.
I think there is a lot of abuse in the arts sector. However, the abuse is not only confined to sexual abuse. There is a lot of general abuse. Most people who work in the sector, men or women, are abused. Most work for nothing, they are paid nothing. Those lucky enough to get paid sometimes wait for months, if not years to get their money. Most work under extreme conditions — no breakfast or lunch, no protection or insurance in case of injury or loss of life. Most provide their own transport, to and from work. Most bring their own clothes and never get paid for using their own costumes or props.
Most work, not knowing what they are working for. If this is not abuse and slavery, then I don’t know what is. It is this scenario that then make a lot of young ladies who want to work in the arts, and film in particular, vulnerable. There are a few opportunities in the sector and those controlling them are men, who then try to take advantage of young girls. To be honest sexual harassment in the sector must be condemned with the contempt it deserves and sexual perverts in the sector must be named and shamed.
Online Reporter