Sexual harrassment campaign by Ad Council to help people speak out, stop it and, prevent it

The Ad Council has joined with actor and producer David Schwimmer, writer and director Sigal Avin, the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) and the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) to launch ‘#ThatsHarassment,’ a campaign to empower victims and bystanders to speak out and provide tools for employers to create a safe work environment.

Beginning Friday, 26 January, the full-length short films and PSAs will be supported digitally and on television by major media companies including Amazon Prime Video, CBS, The CW, Fox Networks Group, Freedom, Hulu, SHOWTIME and STARZ.

The PSAs, executively produced by Schwimmer, Avin and Mazdack Rassi of MILK Studios, are shortened versions of the films that first launched in April 2017. The films, written and directed by Avin, depict various cases of sexual harassment in the workplace, all based on real events.

Schwimmer, Avin and Rassi created this project to highlight behaviors that are unacceptable and to end institutional silence and complicity. Additionally, 30-second versions will air across New York City on Taxi TV and NYC Media.

“My mother, my sister, countless female colleagues and friends have all experienced some form of sexual harassment in their lifetime. Now I’m a father of a young daughter and I’m angry and concerned about the rise in, and our culture’s acceptance of, totally unacceptable behavior by men towards women. Men who demean, deride, discredit, harass and assault women – no matter what their position of power – need to be held accountable,” said Schwimmer.

The films, which take place in various professional settings in which sexual harassment can occur, depict different scenarios where men in positions of power cross the line. They include: “The Boss” starring Zazie Beetz and David Schwimmer, “The Coworker” starring Grace Gummer and Joseph Sikora, “The Politician” starring Harry Lennix and Emmy Rossum, “The Actor” starring Noah Emmerich and Cristela Alonzo, “The Doctor” starring Cynthia Nixon and Michael Kelly and “The Photographer” starring Bobby Cannavale and Anna Van Patten.

“The current conversation around sexual harassment is giving us an opportunity to inform, educate and ultimately end harassment and assault. We are proud to join forces with Sigal, David, RAINN, National Women’s Law Center and the media to help all of us—men and women—speak out, stop it and most importantly, prevent it,” said Lisa Sherman, President and CEO of the Ad Council.

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