A collective of feminist lawyers in Kerala has offered support to the survivors of sexual exploitation, in light of the Hema Committee report, which revealed several incidents of sexual harassment in the Malayalam film industry. Following the release of the report last week, the Kerala government said that it would take legal action against the accused if survivors register formal complaints. The collective has come forward to offer their services, in guiding women who wish to proceed legally, through the process, and clear any doubts or concerns they may have.
“Many times, people do not come forward because of fear and confusion and not knowing the nitty-gritties of the law. Some of the women may also be concerned about protecting their identities, while some others may not want to approach a male lawyer. It is all women in our collective. We’d like to offer legal guidance as well as emotional support, and reassure them of timely actions on their complaints, all free of charge,” says Advocate J Sandhya, a member of the collective.
Around 20 lawyers from across Kerala, who are also activists, are part of the collective. Those who wish to avail their services can contact them by email on: feministslawyersnetwork@gmail.com
A few women have come out in public about the sexual harassment they faced in the Malayalam film industry, after the Hema Committee report came out, which has already made an impact in the industry, leading to the resignation of two powerful figures from important posts – senior actor Siddique as the general secretary of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists and renowned filmmaker Ranjith as the chairperson of the Kerala Chalachitra Academy. However, a formal complaint is yet to be filed by any of the women.