'With You’: WCC stands by Vincy Aloshious, flags drug use and harassment on film sets
In the wake of actor Vincy Aloshious courageously speaking out against the inappropriate behaviour she faced from an allegedly intoxicated co-actor on a film set, several voices from within the Malayalam film industry have expressed solidarity, applauding her for standing up for her dignity. The Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) is the latest to extend support to the actor.
In a show of support, the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) expressed solidarity with Vincy Aloshious through a post on its official Facebook page.
“We salute the courage of Vincy Aloshious, who spoke out against the misbehaviour of a co-actor allegedly under the influence of intoxicants on a film set, which amounted to a violation of her womanhood,” WCC said in the post. The collective also pointed out that her revelation draws attention to an unpleasant truth — the widespread use of alcohol and other harmful drugs on many Malayalam film sets.
WCC reiterated that in cases of mental or physical harassment, women are expected to first file their complaints with the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC). The organisation emphasised that all women working in Kerala’s film industry must understand that, as per a Kerala High Court ruling, it is mandatory for every film set to have an ICC in place. The law guarantees this safeguard.
The ICC has the responsibility to handle complaints seriously, and to conduct investigations confidentially and fairly. To equip ICC members with a clear understanding of their responsibilities and the legal framework, the Women and Child Development Department has already initiated training workshops. WCC stressed that the Kerala government must intensify efforts to ensure that film workplaces remain free from drugs and substance abuse.
“As workers within the Malayalam film industry, it is essential for each one of us to verify whether an ICC exists on the sets we work on, and ensure that it is registered on the official portal. The responsibility of publicly disclosing the names of ICC members lies with the producer. Moreover, in the event of any complaint related to sexual harassment, there must be clarity that the ICC is being approached and is functioning as intended.
“To ensure the effective functioning of ICC, a monitoring mechanism has been formed under the leadership of the Chamber, with representation from various film bodies, as per the recommendation of the State Women’s Commission,” it added.
WCC clarified that sexual harassment under the law does not only mean physical assault. Any behaviour that causes discomfort to women in the workplace falls under this category. “It is not only the production company that is responsible for implementing this system, but also each of us collectively. An effectively functioning ICC will enable women workers to work with dignity and equality, and WCC used this moment to once again remind everyone that the ICC system is designed to protect women and all women in the industry must understand and make use of it,” it concluded.