National Commission for Women calls for full release of Hema committee report amid sexual harassment allegations

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has demanded the release of the entire Justice Hema Committee report. The explosive document exposed systematic sexual assault in the Malayalam cinema industry.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has demanded the full release of the Hema Committee Report in response to the report’s findings, which rocked the Malayalam film industry with allegations of sexual abuse on Saturday. The NCW said in an official press release that the Hema Committee Report, which highlighted certain “serious issues” such as “harassment at the workplace”, “gender discrimination” and other forms of exploitation that negatively impact women in the Malayalam film industry, had some “worrying findings” noted by the commission.

“In response to these concerns, the NCW has taken steps to request the full Hema Committee report, as it appears that only parts of it are currently available in the public domain. The committee is committed to continuing its efforts to address these issues with the appropriate authorities to ensure that women’s rights are upheld and that a safe, fair working environment is promoted within the industry,” the press release said.

Earlier on August 19, the Kerala government had made public the Justice K Hema Committee report on working conditions of women in the Malayalam film industry. However, 63 pages of the original 295-page report were redacted before it was released under the RTI Act.

The report, based on testimonies from 51 industry professionals, reveals shocking details of the exploitation of women, including the existence of casting couches and poor working conditions.
It is argued that intimidation begins at the beginning, with women being asked to make “adjustments” and “compromises” – euphemisms for sexual favors – to secure roles.

“According to women in cinema, harassment starts at the beginning. The statements of several witnesses heard by the commission show that the production manager or the person who makes an offer for a role in the cinema first approaches the woman/girl or, if it is the other way around and a woman approaches a person in the cinema who is looking for a chance in the cinema, she is told that she has to make “adjustments” and “compromises” to get her into the cinema.

“Compromises” and “adjustments” are two terms that are very familiar to women in the Malayalam film industry. By doing so, they are expected to be available for sex on demand,” the report said.

The Committee also found that women, even on sets, do not have access to basic human rights such as toilets and changing facilities. During outdoor shoots, women are often forced to seek out remote locations without access to basic facilities such as water to change or use the toilet.

(With ANI inputs)