The Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), which was instrumental in speaking about the issues faced by women in the Malayalam film industry, have expressed their solidarity with the women who have opened up about their negative experiences in the public sphere. The WCC also said its members are being subject to cyber attacks with fake accounts being created en masse to defame them. The WCC plans to confront the issue legally, it stated in a post on social media. The post began with a quote by the late American writer and civil rights activist James Baldwin. “The victim who is able to articulate the situation of the victim has ceased to be a victim: he or she has become a threat,” the statement read. It continued: “The Hema Committee Report, which came out after four and a half years of effort, has raised numerous complaints and issues regarding the existing labour structure in the film industry. Among these, it also mentions sexual allegations. Our aim is to create opportunities for work, to establish dignity for women, and to foster a more favorable environment for women at the workplace. We extend our salutations to all the women who, without any backing, have courageously stood in the public sphere, openly addressing the issues in their workplaces.
The report is creating a significant ripple effect both in Kerala and beyond. However, a message to those who expressed their happiness and support when the report was released. Now comes the time of cyber attacks against us. Fake accounts on social media are being created en masse. Character assassination is a tactic that the patriarchal society has always used to mentally break down women who speak out. We will continue to move forward, confronting this legally. To all those who rely on such unethical practices, attempting to tear us down. We thank you! For making us stronger! For continuing to make us stronger!,” it stated.
